Metanoia
by Twisted Creampuff
Summary: Chapter 15 is finally here! In which the CIA declare Phantom a rogue agent, and Sam finally realises the impossible truth connecting Danny and the enigmatic Phantom while struggling to piece together the fragments of her broken heart. DxS
1. Flight

Hello fellow Danny Phantom Fans:) This is my debut fanfiction, and I'd love to get to know all the wonderful people in this fandom. Comments and criticism is very welcome. Please do not hesistate to correct me if I make any canon-based error. I am relatively new to this fandom and I would like to get the facts as accurate as possible. Thank you for reading, and please leave a review. I'd love to hear your opinion:)

**_24/03/07 Update:_** I know that the first few chapters aren't the best, but please stick with me. It gets significantly better, I promise. Also, I have received several reviews regarding my supposed misspelling of certain words. I would just like to point out that I'm English, and I therefore spell like an English person. My chapters, on the rare occasion that they are not beta read, are at the very least spellchecked. Please bear with me, since English spellcheck obviously picks up on different things due to the spelling differences.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia **

**Chapter 1**

It was two in the morning. The pale sliver of moon visible in the starless night sky cast a faint, eerie glow on the grounds outside Rutherford Laboratories, masking the pair of ghost hunters lurking in the shadows. The crescent moon was barely discernible in the darkness, almost completely obscured behind hazy clouds. Valerie Gray smirked. There was good cloud cover. She and her partner would no doubt pull off another successful capture. With luck the guards wouldn't even notice their intrusion until they were well out of the establishment.

Rutherford Laboratories were mostly deserted, apart from a few incompetent looking guards that made up the outer defense. Despite the seemingly lax security procedures on the outside of the lab, Valerie knew if she were to put one foot inside the seemingly ill protected building, the most technologically advanced detainment devices would be on her in a second. Not to mention the SWAT team that would subdue her in a matter of minutes.

As talented as Valerie was, she was just one girl with a jet sled. She wasn't stupid enough to take on another group of highly trained professionals, especially if she would be outnumbered twenty to one. She could easily prove she was with the CIA, but that would raise unnecessary issues.

In order for the operation to remain covert, it was imperative the target was stopped before he entered the building.

Valerie decided it was time to check up on her partner. If either of them were discovered at this early stage of the operation, it would be the end of their mission.

"Phantom, this is Red Hunter. Do you copy?"

No reply. The idiot probably forgot to charge his communicator. Again.

Valerie Gray rolled her eyes. It was immature, but she didn't care. It didn't even matter that Phantom wasn't around for her to voice her disapproval. Just because he was "gifted" like Mister Masters didn't give him the luxury of goofing off on field missions.

At least one of them had to act professional. Redialing Phantom's identification code on the communication device, she attempted once again to contact her partner.

"Phantom? Repeat, do you copy?"

Again there was no reply.

Had the situation not called for absolute stealth, Valerie Gray would have screamed in frustration. This was not the first time she was unable to contact her reluctant partner on a mission. The Red Hunter was trained to perform her assignments with accuracy and precision. A task made almost impossible by his refusal to follow procedure. That boy was a disaster waiting to happen.

Before Agent Phantom came along she was Dalv Enterprise's golden girl, her unrivaled aptitude for ghost hunting despite her youth put her in a league of her own. Until the recent recruitment of Vlad Master's apprentice, Phantom. Their benefactor insisted on them pairing them on missions Valerie could handle on her own, adamant Phantom needed to learn the ropes of real life field missions.

Valerie Gray didn't do teams. Teams were for those too incompetent to accomplish anything themselves. Valerie was far from incompetent. Vlad Masters had offered her partners in the past and she had always turned him down. The Red Hunter worked alone. She hated having to share the recognition her recent captures with a cocky little pretty boy.

Did he not understand that he was being employed by a covert syndicate? His white hair, which he insisted was natural although it was obviously bleached to attract attention, completely negated the purpose of a codename, in addition to his refusal to hide his face on missions. Even though he could turn himself invisible, all he needed was one slip up and his identity would be revealed to the world. His was far too easy to identify for Valerie's liking, not to mention annoying.

Perhaps, she grudgingly admitted to herself, part of the reason that she despised him was because he had managed to upstage her all their missions together so far. The Red Hunter prided herself on her stealth and efficiency. It stung at her ego that a new recruit, a _boy_, had managed to beat her to capturing a target twice now.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the cackle of white noise on her communicator.

"Huh? Yeah, Red. I'm in position." Her partner replied. "Sorry about that. Dog troubles. I swear they could see me. They kept barking like crazy."

"The invisible Phantom, Dalv Enterprise's ghost hunting prodigy, got caught by a couple of yapping mutts."

"Ha ha, funny. I've decommissioned the security cameras. All clear."

"And by decommissioned you mean blew up, right? Tech stuff is beyond you. There's no way a pretty boy airhead like you actually managed to disable their security cameras."

Danny scowled, but didn't bother with a reply, used to Valerie's taunting jibes. Sometimes the girl was too competitive for her own good. Ever since Danny joined her on missions, she considered it her right as their benefactor's original protégée to instigate her one-sided rivalry. She was a good friend; in fact the only friend Danny had who was around his age. But her efforts to prove her worth to Vlad Masters were usually overzealous.

'_When will she realise that I don't think I'm better than her?'_ Danny grumbled to himself, crouching down into a comfortable position to begin the stakeout.

Sometimes he couldn't believe Valerie hadn't yet figured out that her good friend Danny Fenton and her rival Phantom were the same person. He supposed it was because Valerie's impression of him hadn't really changed since he stopped attending Casper High three years ago, still overlooking his human half as weak, pathetic Danny Fenton who barely managed to pass PE.

He found it immensely frustrating, not to mention annoying, that Red Hunter refused to see eye to eye with Phantom, writing him off as an arrogant showoff although the two had met no more than three times. It was hardly exactly his fault that his fighting style was flashy and demonstrative. He had only started combat training three years ago, when he had first gained his powers. It was the only way he knew how to fight. Red Hunter's ecto-weapons were hardly low key either.

Danny sighed. Then again, perhaps he was expecting too much of Valerie to be able figure out the true identity of Phantom on her own. The very first time he had gone ghost three years ago, he had hardly recognised himself.

Staring down at his white gloved hands, black hazmat stealth suit and white combat boots, he sometimes still had trouble believing how much he had changed since the accident three years ago.

His parents, ghost hunters and researchers, were working on a ghost portal, designed to construct a bridge between the human and ghost worlds, in order to prove that the supernatural truly existed. Not knowing their inquisitive son was inside the machine, they had activated it. An unexpected power surge caused Danny to receive a huge ectoplasmic shock, altering his genetic makeup and turning him half ghost. The rampant energy also resulted in a fully fledged explosion that destroyed his parents' lab.

The sheer amount of ectoplasmic energy should have killed him, especially since he was at the very heart of the explosion. Even the ectoplasmic fallout from the explosion would have been enough to cause fatal illness. Vlad's hypothesis was that when the Fenton Portal was activated, Danny half entered the ghost zone, and therefore could not completely die, as according to Vlad, humans could not be harmed in the ghost zone.

The immense explosion had destroyed not only his parents' laboratory, but also the rest of Danny's home, as well as severely damaging many other houses in their neighbourhood. His parents were killed instantly, and due to their proximity to the explosion, their bodies were completely vaporized. The clean up crew had refused to let Danny see the remains of his sister, Jazz.

They were astonished to find a boy, understandably in shock from the trauma he had just witnessed, but nevertheless still in one piece, sitting in the middle of the wreckage when they arrived.

The next fortnight was a blur to Danny's memory, but he remembered Vlad introducing himself as an old college friend of his parents the day after the accident, and offering for Danny to come and live with him as his legal guardian. He failed to mention that he was a billionaire.

He remembered the nightmares and vivid flashbacks that haunted him, tormenting him during his dormant hours as he relived in his memories the sheer excruciating pain of the ectoplasmic energy searing endlessly through his body, wrenching his soul out of shape as he awoke from his restless slumber, screaming.

Only to remember that he had nothing to fall back on. His family was gone forever.

He remembered phasing right through the bed in his new room after a particularly feverish nightmare about the accident, and landing in his guardian's office a few floors down while Vlad was in the middle of a telephone conference.

They had both looked up to find half of Danny's duvet hanging from the ceiling, trapped between the two floors. Danny was stunned by the events that had just taken place, unable to believe that he had just fallen through the floor.

To Danny's astonishment, Vlad suddenly levitated up towards his duvet, and dislodged it with an effortless tug. He claimed that he and Danny were alike, both half ghost hybrids, humans with powers of the supernatural. He offered to train Danny as his apprentice, to help him gain control of his extraordinary gifts.

After getting over his initial fear and disbelief, Danny eventually accepted. He was eager to use Vlad's training as a diversion to escape the loss of his family, to restore purpose to his life. Over time, the training had helped him ease the pain and forget. Slightly over six months ago, when Danny had finally gained full control of all his powers, Vlad had decided to reveal to Danny that he was a senior intelligence coordinator and for the American Secret Service. In his youth he had used his abilities to serve the CIA, and offered Danny a career as a ghost hunter in his division, a syndicate masked by the front of Dalv Enterprises, a successful and influential American company owned by himself.

The half ghost quickly agreed, eager to prove his worth to his benefactor.

And now, here he was, hiding beneath the undergrowth outside one of the world's most prominent laboratories, crouched in a combat position waiting to ambush a supernatural being from another dimension.

It was times like this that the accident seemed a lifetime away.

He shuddered involuntarily as a pale blue mist escaped from his mouth, his ghost sense forewarning him that their target was close by.

"Red Hunter, the target known as Technus is approaching."

"No he's-- " _Beep beep. _"Oh. Right."

Danny smirked. Valerie was still unconvinced that his ghost sense was superior to her equipment. Hopefully she would stop underestimating him soon.

He clenched his fists as twin blasts began charging at his fingertips, leaping to his feet as he prepared to join his partner in the night air.


	2. Ascent

**Disclaimer:** Danny Phantom is not mine, and never will be.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 2**

The sky was already light by the time Danny returned to Wisconsin Castle. Turning intangible, he phased through the building itself, bypassing all security measures. Arriving inside his own room, he levitated onto his bed, burying himself under the sheets as he surrendered to the huge yawn that had been threatening to emerge all night.

He rolled over and pressed the intercom button at his bedside table.

"Hey Smithers."

"Good morning, Master Daniel. I assume the operation was a success." The Wisconsin Castle butler greeted.

"Uh huh. Val's got the thermos. I'm sure she's already checked it in with Vlad. When you see him at breakfast, would you mind telling him I'm still alive?"

"Very good, Master Daniel."

"I'm gonna turn in for a while, but I'll be up by lunch. I feel like meatloaf."

"I shall inform the catering service accordingly."

"Thanks Smithers."

"You're welcome, Master Daniel."

Danny smiled as he hung up on intercom. Good old Smithers. Danny didn't know what he would do without him.

As much as Danny would like to just spend the entire day sleeping, Vlad was home for the weekend, a rare occurrence that Danny wanted to take advantage of to further his training. Sighing at the sheer luxury of rest, the protégé of Dalv Enterprises ceded himself to the blissful calm of sleep.

It was late in the afternoon by the time Danny finally made his way down to the training room.

The training room wasn't much more than a large, empty room constructed simply from concrete and white tiles, its stark emptiness contrasting with the grandeur of the rest of Wisconsin castle. Vlad had first built the room a few months after his adoption of Danny, and it was in this very room that Danny had achieved mastery of his paranormal abilities.

Flipping a switch, Danny began running a basic training simulation programmed by Vlad years ago to help him gain control of one of his very first powers, intangibility. The objective was simple- turn intangible whenever one of Vlad's hologram projections tried to "attack" him.

It was a fairly mundane task, but Danny didn't feel like attempting anything too strenuous. After all, Vlad would probably join him shortly. Duels with his benefactor never failed to leave him exhausted, and Danny was certain today would be no different. He needed to conserve as much energy as possible if he even wanted a shot at beating his mentor.

"Hey Vlad." He greeted, his back facing his mentor. His ghost sense had alerted him to the presence of the older halfa before he even entered the room.

He felt his hair stand on end as he sensed his guardian transform behind him, the familiar surge of energy bombarding his senses, resonating into the air around them like charged static electricity. He could feel the raw power that Vlad Plasmius radiated.

"Come Daniel, let us see how much you have bettered yourself since our last encounter." His benefactor challenged, thrusting two blasts of ectoplasmic energy in Danny's direction.

Danny yelped as he barely dodged the attacks, a bright halo of light encircling his body as he transformed into Phantom. Danny felt the familiar jolt of energy course through him as his body altered its plane of existence, invoking the presence his more powerful ghost half.

"You didn't even wait for me to transform!" He yelled accusingly.

"Your foe will hardly fight fair in a real battle, Daniel." Vlad proclaimed, already charging twin ectoplasmic blasts for his next assault.

Letting out a fierce growl, Danny quickly teleported, swiftly reappearing behind Plasmius and flinging a ray of ectoplasmic energy into his direction. One of the advantages Phantom held over Plasmius was his teleportation abilities, Phantom was faster, more agile.

Unfortunately, the older halfa had anticipated this and shielded himself from the attack, the supernatural energy harmlessly absorbed by his ghost shield. Danny fired several more ectoplasmic blasts in rapid succession, only for Vlad to turn intangible, evading the attacks with ease.

Through recent months, Danny was beginning to come closer and closer to beating Vlad. Although Vlad had much more experience with his powers, Danny was discovering new abilities at an astonishing rate, most of them powerful offensive attacks. Danny hoped that one day he would be able to better his mentor in combat.

Vlad was tough. In order to gain the upper hand, Danny knew he needed to launch a powerful attack early in the duel to tire his benefactor, if he hoped for a chance of beating Vlad today.

Setting his feet firmly on the floor, Danny prepared to stand his ground as he released his ghostly wail. Even though he had braced himself, Danny still felt the backlash of his tremendous attack threatening to thrust him in the opposite direction of the blast.

Vlad was flung backwards, colliding against a wall with a loud thud. The sheer force of the sonic waves kept Vlad pinned to the wall a few feet above the ground, as Danny's assault continued to shatter tiles on the training room floor, causing the entire room to shake as the ceiling began to crack. Just as it seemed the ceiling was about to give way, Danny ceased his attack. Vlad would kill him if he destroyed the training room.

"Got you!" Danny yelled triumphantly. "There's no way you're getting out of this one, Vlad!"

A battered and disorientated Plasmius dropped to the floor, narrowly recovering fast enough to roll out of the way in time to avoid Danny's rapid sequence of ectoplasmic charged punches.

"Have I taught you nothing, Daniel? No fight is over until the loser declares it so!"

Growling in frustration, Danny lunged at Plasmius, attempting a swift uppercut to his jaw, only to be blocked with ease by his mentor and flung against a wall. The teenager deftly recovered and continued his hand to hand assault on the older ghost, attacking and parrying as the pair alternated between offensive and defensive in a deadly dance.

Danny was faster, but physically, Vlad was the stronger of the two. The two were evenly matched in physical combat. Danny knew that if he didn't do something soon, both their strengths would slowly be whittled away until they were both left exhausted. However, he did not have as much faith in his own endurance capabilities as he did in Vlad's. If he wanted to win, he was going to have to change tactics.

'_I could pin him to the wall with a ghost shield to keep him in one place long enough to hit him.'_

Danny bit his lip in concentration as he executed a flawless roundhouse kick to Vlad's head, only to have his foot caught by his mentor barely a second before impact. Danny rapidly performed an awkward backspring, forcing Vlad to release his foot for fear of dislocating his arm, putting a couple of feet of distance between the two.

'_No good, he would just phase through the walls.'_

Panting, Danny eyed Vlad warily as he ran his hand through his messy white hair. His mentor raised an elegant eyebrow in challenge.

'_But what if the walls are ghost proof?'_

Suddenly, it clicked. Just because the older halfa couldn't be physically restrained, didn't mean he couldn't be caged.

Grinning, Danny decided it was time to implement his new strategy, surprising Vlad by crouching into a seemingly defensive combat stance. Slamming his palm on the floor, he released the surging ectoplasmic energy from his fingertips, creating a huge shield which covered the walls, floor and ceiling, rendering the entire practice room ghost proof.

With his other hand, he swiftly created another ectoplasmic shield, a large screen that reached from wall to wall, and from floor to ceiling. Grunting from the effort, he smashed the second shield into his mentor, leaving Plasmius pinned against a ghost proof wall with no means of escape.

The halfa stood back to admire his actions in disbelief. He had done it. He had finally beat Vlad. At last his abilities were on par with the man that had been the superior fighter for three years.

It sucked that he couldn't think of a witty line to further his victory.

Plasmius chuckled, holding up his palms in a conceding gesture. "I am impressed, Daniel. Had I realised sooner that sending you on field missions is a far superior alternative to my training, you'd be unstoppable by now."

"Nah, you're the best teacher I could've hoped for." Danny said, shrugging. He dispersed the energy in the ectoplasmic shields with a wave of his hand, before returning to human form. "I would've found it way more difficult to control my powers without you around."

Plasmius picked himself off the floor, brushing imaginary lint off his suit before following Danny's example, reverting back to Vlad Masters.

"Yes, but perhaps if you felt that you were under threat more often, more abilities would have revealed themselves to you. I've sent you on no more than three missions, and already you have acquired a new power. Cryokinetics, was it?"

"Yeah, it's totally awesome."

"I must admit, I do fancy having the ability to freeze objects. It would be so useful, in or out of battle. Imagine that perfect glass of lemonade. Smithers' ice cubes tend to have those infernal little air bubbles trapped in them. I believe his years are finally catching up with him."

"You've got cool powers that I don't have. Like those pink ectoplasmic blasts and shields. I still don't get how you make those. They pack way more of a punch than green blasts."

"Your ectoplasmic blasts possess so much raw power that they're unnecessary in your case, Daniel."

"Still, it'll be cool to know."

Vlad Masters chuckled affectionately. Danny's honest humility and enthusiasm to master his gifts were qualities that made him the ideal apprentice.

"It's all about altering the frequency of the energy you release. The higher the frequency, the more damaging. But higher frequencies are only good for short range attacks. The energy dissipates before reaching the target otherwise."

Vlad's protégé scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "Right... and how exactly do you alter the frequency of the energy you release?"

"By practice and experience. It took me the better part of half a decade to figure it out. Given your remarkable progress, I estimate you'll achieve this by next summer. You will surpass me soon, my apprentice."

Vlad smiled, ruffling Danny's perpetually messy raven hair.

Danny returned the smile. It meant a lot, coming from Vlad.

"Hey Vlad, since you've started sending me and Val on missions, sometimes we don't get to see you for a couple of weeks at a time, and we uh, kind of missed you." His apprentice confessed. "It's gonna suck even more when summer ends and Val goes back to Amity Park for school. I'll be stuck here by myself while you're jetting around on business and stuff."

"I missed you too, Daniel." Vlad smiled, once again ruffling Danny's hair affectionately. A true smile, far from the smirk he normally reserved for subordinates and those he deemed unworthy or inferior.

Danny returned the smile, and promptly began sprinting up the training room stairs, three at a time. Inhuman speed or not, he had barely made it up a dozen steps when Vlad roared.

"Daniel Fenton! Do you take me for a fool? When will you realise that buttering me up never works! Get back down here and complete your training simulations!"

Groaning, the halfa turned around and trudged back down to the destroyed training room, cursing under his breath.

'_At least it was worth a try.'_

Constructive criticism is appreciated. Please feel free to give me your honest opinion:) It helps me write better so that you will enjoy the story more.

**Thanks to: **_kia_, _cariadiorarua _and the wonderful _Straying Life_, who actually cares enough to leave constructive criticism for a dumb newbie. You're awesome. Thank you so much for your advice.


	3. Solecism

**Disclaimer: **Still don't own Butch Hardman's wonderful show, Danny Phantom.

Seeing as to the fact that my full summary does not fit, I have decided to post a full summary here.

**Summary:** Three years after the accident that changed his life, Phantom, the CIA's ghost hunting prodigy, returns to Casper High for an undercover assignment investigating the Guys in White. There he meets Sam Manson, the high school senior responsible for the conversion of the enigmatic Phantom to Amity Park's public defender, Danny Phantom. DxS ( _WIP)_

Constructive criticism is very welcome. I hope you enjoy:)

****

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 3**

Vlad Masters was the cause of much controversy among ranks during the seventies and eighties. How he was recruited into the CIA, nobody knew for sure. His bizarre abilities had allowed him to infiltrate any facility, regardless of the level of security. Authorities had viewed him as an outstanding asset, a secret weapon that gave them a remarkable edge over the opposition.

Many were skeptical of Vlad Masters' true value, as his methods were completely unlike those of traditional agents, declaring his unusual approach flawed and that he would soon be discovered on the job. Others were distrustful, claiming it was only a matter of time before he betrayed them and began using his talents for more dishonest, personal goals.

But Agent Plasmius' one hundred percent mission success rate and unwavering loyalty to the state for over two decades proved them wrong on both accounts.

Once he had hit forty he decided he was too old for recon missions and began inventing a steady flow of ectoplasmic weaponry, the millions he made from patenting royalties enabled him to set up Dalv Enterprises, now a conglomerate worth billions involved in many areas of the market, from toothpaste manufacturing to banking, and of course, anti ghost artillery.

Ghost attacks were rare in Wisconsin, but that hadn't stopped Vlad from setting up his bureau at his hometown. The CIA, sorely missing their key source of intelligence, attempted to persuade Vlad to return, but to no avail. Vlad firmly declared he was sick of sneaking around dangerous buildings and desolate locations, insisting it was putting severe strain on his aging back. He was determined to try his hand at a more open career in business.

The CIA grudgingly accepted Vlad's decision, but not before offering the former agent a position as a senior spy coordinator, allowing him to assign younger agents missions on the field while calling the shots from behind a comfortable desk. Vlad reluctantly accepted.

As Dalv Enterprises grew more and more successful, the veteran agent was able to realize a passion he never managed to make time for during all his years of espionage -- ghost hunting. He established a covert syndicate for elite ghost hunters, scouring the country for new talent to recruit.

That was how he discovered Valerie Gray, three years ago. Despite her tender age of fourteen years, the girl was exceptional. Her hatred for ghosts and her determined nature made her the perfect candidate for a ghost hunter. Not to mention she was a ninth degree black belt and in excellent physical condition. However, it was her talent for the hunt and aptitude to act quickly and respond to any situation that made her a truly outstanding.

Valerie's father had lost his fortunes due to frequent ghost attacks in Amity Park, driving his daughter to take up ghost hunting to achieve vindication. Vlad was glad to have found Valerie. The adolescent ghost hunter provided companionship for Danny when she wasn't on missions, as the only friend he had around his age. As Valerie had no idea that Danny Fenton and Phantom were one and the same person, her over-protectiveness of Danny was endearing. She often chastised him for touching her dangerous weaponry, having no idea he was just as adept at using the artillery as she was.

Seeing how well the pair got on, Vlad had thought it would be best to couple Danny with Valerie for assignments for Danny so he could gain experience in the field. However, whatever affection Valerie Grey had for Danny Fenton was lost on Phantom. She remained oblivious to the fact that they were the same person, insisting to the senior spy coordinator that Danny's ghost half was a 'pretty boy jerk'.

Danny later confessed to Vlad that he couldn't bear to tell Valerie who Phantom really was, as he didn't want her to feel bad about her repeated insults towards him. Danny had always placed the needs of others before himself, the only flaw that he possessed should he intend to become an intelligence operative. Such selflessness could accidentally reveal himself to his enemies.

Vlad Master's longstanding association with the CIA provided Dalv Enterprises with links to the government, guaranteeing the secrecy of Vlad's employee's ghost hunting activities. In return, the authorities could call upon any of the members of Vlad's division to serve the government. The agreement served both parties, allowing Vlad to pursue his interests while serving his country, something Vlad was happy to oblige.

However, half a decade ago, the former spymaster, a veteran agent who had also worked in the field with Vlad, had been replaced by Caleb Jones, a man whose methods were far more ruthless than his predecessor's. Caleb Jones demanded information at all costs, his reckless assignments often putting agents in mortal danger against ridiculous odds.

It was no secret that Vlad Masters and Caleb Jones suffered severe disagreements. Vlad, who had always put the welfare of his agents before any reconnaissance mission, was disapproving at the unreasonable methods the spymaster employed.

Vlad was in his office, tucking into his morning tea of butter biscuits and scones when the call came. In all actuality, Vlad had been expecting the call. The higher authorities had been far too quiet lately.

"Vlad Masters speaking."

"Agent Masters, how have you been?"

The caller was Ethan Freeman, the CIA's number two. Like Vlad, he was also a former field agent, who had spent almost a decade in the field, until a blast to his back during a mission paralyzed him from the waist down, limiting him to office work.

"I am no longer an agent, Agent Freeman. It's Mister Masters to you." Vlad immediately corrected.

"Old habits die hard, old friend." The CIA's delegate laughed. Vlad joined him. It was good to catch up with his former teammate.

In Vlad's opinion, Ethan Freeman would make a far better spymaster than his superior. After his injury on the field, the former agent had worked his way up the office ranks for almost two decades. Having participated in the field missions, he could empathize with agents, something the current spymaster was unwilling to do.

After the usual exchange of pleasantries, the spymaster's deputy decided to cut to the chase.

"I have an assignment for a member of your division."

"Nowadays, nobody ever calls to say hello." Vlad feigned disappointment. "I knew it was a matter of time before you'd decide to try out my newest agent."

"Agent Phantom is to carry out an intelligence assignment at Amity Park. As you know, the new Headquarters of the Guys in White is now located in the now derelict neighbourhood that formerly housed Fenton Works. We believe they are withholding some of their research from us. Phantom is to infiltrate, and obtain as much information as possible on their motives for insubordination."

"No."

"E-excuse me?"

"Absolutely not!" Vlad Masters growled. "I am not sending a half ghost into the compulsively hygienic headquarters of professional ghost hunters who shoot first and ask questions later."

"The boy is impervious to bullets, Masters."

"Not to ghost weaponry! What if he is discovered?"

"But Mister Masters-"

"I wish to speak to Mister Jones." The veteran agent demanded. "Now."

Ethan Freeman sighed. "Alright Vlad, I'll transfer the call. But I'll warn you, he's determined to have his way."

The cheery transfer tune seemed out of place with the magnitude and significance of the organisation.

Vlad gripped the receiver so hard that it was in danger of crushing. Sending a half ghost into the Headquarters of the Guys in White. What was the spymaster thinking? Surely the incompetent fool had heard of risk assessment. Although he did not doubt Danny's skills, it was ridiculous to send a ghost hunter for an undercover mission to acquire intelligence. Danny did not know anything about intelligence operations.

Barely a minute later, the subject of his ire accepted the call transfer.

"Caleb Jones." The spymaster answered in a bored monotone.

"Daniel is going nowhere near Amity Park until he himself comes to terms with his losses. Furthermore, sending him to carry out intelligence surveillances at the very site of the accident is despicable." Vlad snarled.

"Phantom is a professional agent. He has sworn to serve the state however we see fit."

"He's seventeen! Most kids his age are worried about trivial matters like girls or college admissions!"

"Nevertheless, you cannot intervene, Mister Masters. Do not forget that you serve the state as well. It is our prerogative to send agents from whichever division we choose."

"I refuse! What are you going to do to me, pull my funding? I'm a billionaire, in case you haven't realised." Vlad challenged.

The conversation was rapidly turning ugly. Even the headstrong spymaster knew that it was not wise to cross Vlad Masters when he was angry. Caleb Jones decided that it was time to attempt persuasion.

"Mister Masters, your attachment to the boy is making you irrational. Consider the highly opportune prospects. Agent Phantom is a relatively new recruit. As an agent, he has only been on three missions to this day, none of them intelligence missions. He is unlikely to arouse suspicion. I doubt other departments even have a file on him yet. With his unusual-- stealth skills, for lack of a better descriptive, the assignment should hardly pose a challenge. "

"He has been trained by the best." Vlad deadpanned.

Mr Jones took the retired agent's accordance as a gesture to continue. "In addition, due to the death of his sister, Jasmine Fenton, he is the only heir to the property formerly known as Fenton Works, according to the copy of Jack and Madeline Fenton's will we hold. I believe you also have one in your possession?"

Vlad only grunted in response.

"Fenton is to instigate a fake case against the feds, in an attempt to reclaim his property. With luck the repeated appeals backed by his guardian Vlad Masters, one of the main driving forces behind the American economy, will send the case straight to Supreme Court. Hopefully the publicity will encumber whatever the Guys in White are planning."

"I suppose you're not going to take no for an answer."

"We need him, Mister Masters. Without him we do not have a case to use as a diversion."

Vlad grimaced. He knew if he put up any more of a fight, he would only succeed making his charge's life more difficult. Proving Phantom's worth in a big case like this could very well help jump start his charge's career, as well as dispel doubts among critics that Phantom's capabilities were not up to par to those of older, more experienced agents.

On the other hand, Daniel had to be protected from the overambitious spymaster. If he discovered what his apprentice was truly capable of, Danny could be transferred, and made to carry out ridiculously dangerous operations. If that were to happen, Vlad would possibly never see him again.

"Very well. I will offer the assignment to Phantom, provided he will have every right to back down from this mission at any time."

"I'm sure you'll see where we're coming from, Mister Masters. If our suspicions are correct, the Guys in White must be stopped at all costs."

"Let me think about it, Mister Jones. We'll be in touch."

Sighing as he hung up on the high security phone line, the veteran agent massaged his temples and steeled himself to break the news to Daniel. He was getting too old for this line of work.

Danny had insisted on several occasions that he was no longer mourning the death of his family, but Vlad, knowing better, had never quite believed him. The two were close. In fact, Vlad now regarded his apprentice as a surrogate son. Vlad, unmarried, had adopted him three years ago after the accident, officially declaring him the sole heir to Dalv Enterprises. However, as close as their relationship was, Vlad would never presume to take the place of a father or the rest of Danny's family. He understood better than most that some things in life just could not be replaced.

Later in the day, after copious amounts of calming earl grey on his account, Vlad decided that both he and his charge were about as emotionally prepared for the news to be broken as they would ever be. Danny had fully recovered from the operation Vlad had assigned him the day before, so hopefully his apprentice would take the news more calmly since he was no longer suffering from deprivation of sleep.

"Hey, Vlad." The adolescent grinned, casually depositing himself into the plush chair on the other side of Vlad's desk. "You called?"

"Danny, there's a new assignment for Phantom." Vlad informed the dark haired teenager, gesturing to the file on the table.

Normally being assigned a new mission filled Danny with a sense of thrill and excitement, but not today. Vlad had called him Danny. Vlad _never_ called him Danny.

"Vlad? Is something wrong?" Danny asked, frowning. Usually Vlad was just as excited about assigning him missions as Danny was about accepting them.

"Your first undercover mission." Vlad attempted a faux smile. But the disquiet in his guardian's voice betrayed him.

Danny wasn't used to seeing his guardian on edge. The older halfa usually radiated confidence, an air of righteous arrogance that nothing seemed to be able to overcome. Vlad Masters never allowed anything to get the better of him.

Seeing his guardian eyeing him with a troubled, almost _guilty_ expression was disconcerting. Vlad had been through too much for him to ever worry about himself. Danny grimly realised that he was the cause of Vlad's concern. Whatever this assignment was, Vlad wasn't happy about it.

Danny tentatively opened the case file and scanned the contents of the assignment.

"Fenton Works?" He asked, his disbelief evident. "The feds want me to infiltrate Fenton Works?"

"The Guys in White, another division of ghost hunters, set up their base in the remains of your parents' laboratories. They need you to find out what they're up to."

"So they want Danny Fenton to pretend that he wants his house back," Danny said, incredulous. "as cover for Phantom to snoop around and find out what they're doing with technology doctored from my parents' inventions?"

Vlad Masters sighed. "This is out of my hands, Daniel. There's nothing more I can do for you."

"This is insane." Danny declared, his mind whirling.

"That's what I told Caleb Jones." The spy coordinator agreed, frowning. "I insisted that you were given the opportunity to back out."

"Back out?" The half ghost repeated, stunned. "You know just as well as I do that I can't back out. This is my first assignment outside Dalv Enterprises. If I turn this down, my career is over."

"I realised as much." Vlad replied dryly. "The feds have a nasty habit of always getting their way."

He pretended not to hear the violent obscenities the teenager was muttering under his breath. Under normal circumstances, Vlad Masters regarded foul language as despicable, preferring milder, more refined alternatives such as the names of various biscuits and cakes when he truly felt the need to express himself. However, he fully understood the boy's frustration. He himself was furious.

Danny had yet to perform a single successful operation for the higher authorities, and yet they were already manipulating him for their own devices, compelling him to comply with their every order as though he was nothing more than a cheap puppet on a string. By threatening to undermine the future of his career, they had secured Phantom's involvement in the case. Caleb Jones was a despicable man.

Danny was quiet now, deep in thought. All visible signs of anger had left his features.

Vlad sighed as he watched the adolescent male on the opposite side of his desk visibly slouch in his chair as he stared at his sneakers, evidently unsure what course of action to take. One choice could easily kick start his career as a professional agent, while the other option would ensure that his already much abused emotional barriers would not be crossed before he was ready.

In the three years that Vlad had known Danny, never once had the pair experienced such uncanny silence.

He could practically see the cogs turning in his apprentice's mind. This choice would be emotionally one of the toughest he would ever have to make in his life, in which the outcome would determine the future of his career. The boy should be left alone to consider the possibilities. This was something Danny alone could decide for himself. Patiently the senior spy coordinator sipped his earl grey tea as he waited for Danny to reach a decision, for Vlad had already reached his.

Should his protégé decide that the mission would be too much for him, Vlad would do everything in his power to ensure that Caleb Jones' meddling would not jeopardize Danny's future. The boy was more important to him than any amount of money or business dealings. If this endeavor cost him his fortune, so be it. Danny's happiness was of utmost importance to Vlad.

Danny was gripping the wooden armrest of the armchair so hard his knuckles were white, and the chair itself seemed to be in danger of completely splintering under his inhumanly strong grip. When he finally reached a decision, the sudden hardened resolve in the boy's eyes told Vlad all he needed to know.

All along he knew the boy possessed the same fiery willpower that Vlad had admired in his parents. Had Danny been of weaker character, he never would have managed to survive the emotional trauma his family's death or gain control of his rapidly growing powers.

The boy was exceptional. Not only because of his "gifts" or his genetic makeup, but because of his emotional strength. Daniel Fenton was the strongest boy Vlad had ever met.

His charge's jaw was locked in a resolute fashion, the very expression he had seen countless times on the face of his old friend, Jack Fenton, especially when he was convinced an invention would work. The uncanny resemblance filled Vlad with a sense of sadness. The death of his best friends in college, Jack and Maddie was still as fresh in his mind as it was in Danny's. He regretted not contacting them more often after graduation. Perhaps if he had, their combined research could have prevented the accident from happening in the first place, and Danny would not have been cursed with the same gift he possessed.

Danny took a deep breath as his eyes finally met Vlad's for the first time in what seemed an eternity, his gaze filled with determination as he accepted the mission, voice unwavering.

"I'll do it."

**Thanks to:** **cariadiorarua**- thanks for sticking with me:), **asdfetragsdfat**, **vladimir's disease**, **Black January **and **Danneh-n'Sam-4eva **for your wonderful help and support. You guys are awesome! I fully appreciate your encouragement. It keeps a big smile on my face.

**Author's Notes: **I am terribly sorry for the slow start, but the relationship between Danny and Vlad will later be important to the plot, which is the reason for my heavy emphasis on their roles as master and apprentice at the moment. The exchange between Danny and Vlad was rather difficult to write, and I do hope that I have managed to keep them in character.

Anyway, I'm planning for Danny and Sam to meet in the next chapter, and I've already started writing it. I would love for your opinions. Should Danny be as clueless as he usually is? Should he be infatuated with Sam? Or should Sam first have a crush on Danny? Who should make the first move? Plus there's the matter of Phantom. Should Sam have feelings for Danny's alter ego as well, to throw more confusion into the mix?

Should the relationship be gradually developed, or should they hit off from the start? As readers, your opinion of what is credible is very important to me, in order to keep the characters IC.

Please read and review. Your views and ideas matter greatly to me.

**Hugs and kisses, Twisted Creampuff.**


	4. Genesis

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom

Kindly read and review:)

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 4**

Danny couldn't believe he was doing this. He had never been trained for undercover work, and he'd been out of the schooling system for so long that he didn't even know how to act around people his age. How he had managed to convince Vlad to let him take this assignment was beyond him. At the moment, he couldn't even convince himself that what he was doing was still within the realms of sanity.

He couldn't have anticipated that the simple act of filling his locker with books would bring back such nostalgia. The last time he had attended Casper High, he was a freshman. He had barely spent two semesters in this school, yet the memories of this place had a far greater hold on him that he would have cared to admit.

Why had the CIA picked him, of all people? He was sure there were much more capable reconnaissance agents out there who could just infiltrate the Headquarters of the Guys in White as employees. Going through all the trouble of faking a huge public case didn't quite seem their style. The methodology seemed far too high profile. It was obvious they hadn't given him all the details, the CIA was known to be notoriously secretive. His field assignment was probably part of a larger mission involving other members of the secret service. Question was, what were they really up to?

Shutting his locker, Danny sighed and trudged along the once familiar hallway. The sooner he dug some dirt onto the Guys in White the sooner he could get out of here and back to Wisconsin. He kept his eyes on the ground, not wanting to make eye contact with any of his peers. The proverbial school atmosphere with its badly whitewashed walls and cheap, cracked tiles brought back unwilling vestiges of memories, from when he was normal and clueless as to how happy and fortunate he really was. Right now, he couldn't even picture his parents' faces.

He tried to ignore the strange looks that teachers and some of the older students were giving him, as if trying to match his vaguely familiar face to a long forgotten memory. The less attention he attracted the better. Perhaps if he kept a low enough profile, people would eventually write him off as a loner and leave him in peace.

Lost in thought, Danny didn't pay much heed to the other students until he walked right into one of them. Muttering an apology, he looked up into the menacing glare of a blond, well built senior.

"Watch it, loser." The football player snapped.

'_Great,' '_Danny thought humorlessly. _'Ten minutes in Casper High and Dash already wants me dead. Big surprise there.'_

Fourteen year old Danny Fenton would have shrunk back in fear, apologizing profusely, but three years out of a schooling environment had caused him to forget how to behave when insubstantial threats were made by a jock dimmer than a purpleback gorilla. He found it hard to believe that he used to be terrified of the hulking quarterback before him.

"Jeez Dash, I said I was sorry."

In all honesty, Danny wasn't surprised that Dash had forgotten who he was. The quarterback probably didn't even remember what he had for breakfast. Doubtless Danny Fenton had just been one of the many faceless punch bags he used to pass the time.

"Sorry isn't good enough." The football player growled, cracking his knuckles.

Dash wasn't too perturbed that the new guy knew his name. _Everybody_ knew who Dash Baxter was. As the school's star quarterback, he and Paulina Sanchez, the beautiful cheerleading captain, ruled the school and the hierarchy of its students.

The thought vaguely registered in Danny's mind that he should walk away before Dash actually decided to hit him. If the exchange actually turned into a fight, Danny knew he would win even without his powers, but making a scene in the hallway would definitely attract unwanted attention. According to his training, de-escalation was the key to almost every confrontation. So what if he got scuffed by the moron? He'd suffered far worse injuries in the past three years, several brought upon himself in training accidents.

Ignoring Dash, he turned his back on the blond jock and walked away. Big mistake. Before he knew it, he was being slammed into the lockers on the opposite side of the hallway, wincing as his head collided with the cheap metal with a sickening thud. In that single moment, Dash had managed to injure him more than his fight with Technus had a week ago. How had he managed to put up with this every day for almost a year? His injured skull was throbbing furiously and he could feel the beginnings of a migraine coming on.

Not only was he stuck on an assignment he'd like nothing better than to shove on someone else, the fact that he was being assaulted by an idiot who seemed determined to sign his own death warrant did nothing to improve his terrible mood.

"Put me down." He demanded quietly, his voice cold steel.

Dash blinked, astonished by the icy resolve in his prey's voice. Before he could respond, two newcomers rallied to Danny's defense.

"Leave the new kid alone, Baxter." A female voice demanded. A very familiar female voice. Danny turned his head, grimacing as the gesture elicited a sharp pain at the base of his skull.

Samantha Manson had hardly changed. The Goth was still clad in only black and purple, with her trademark pale skin and dark hair. She was taller than Danny remembered, her features older and more feminine. At that very moment, Danny had to admit she looked formidable, with a fist on her hips and her violet eyes narrowing in a threatening manner. She was prettier than Danny recalled. Black widow pretty.

"Yeah, Dash. The guy's new. Give him a break."

Tucker Foley stood behind her, arms folded. He too, had grown since Danny had last seen him. When they were fourteen, all three of them were roughly the same height, but now Sam barely came up to Tucker's chin. He had seemed to have ditched the red beret for dark green baseball cap, which he still wore backwards. Danny wasn't the least bit surprised when he noticed the corner of a PDA sticking out of Tucker's pocket.

Danny couldn't keep his lips from curving into a smile. He had certainly missed his friends. The companionship of people his age was something he solely missed in the confines of Dalv Enterprises.

"Or what? You losers can't make me." Dash threatened, roughly depositing Danny on the ground, once again cracking his knuckles menacingly at the pair.

Tucker gulped, taking an involuntary step backwards. Sam, however, stood her ground against the football star. The frosty glare Danny remembered on fourteen year old Sam had developed to glacial standards, her icy amethyst gaze promising painful retribution for Dash should he try anything else on who she thought was a defenseless new student.

It was then Danny decided that he had let this carry on for too long. Low profile or not, he wasn't about to let his former best friends fall victim to Dash's bullying for defending him. A slight application of pressure at a certain angle of the jock's hamstring would easily fell him, yet was subtle enough that no one would realise what Danny had done. He was just about to decide on the best course of action to deal with Dash when Valerie Gray, his only friend from Wisconsin and his unknowing partner approached the quarterback.

He supposed Valerie saw him as her responsibility, the goofy adopted son of her employer that wouldn't be able to handle himself in a fight. When Val was first recruited, he had thought that she was being nice to him just to suck up to Vlad, who she seemed to hero worship. After all, they had hardly spoken when Danny was in school. She had been one of the popular kids, hanging out with Star and Paulina, while he had been one of the losers, a punch bag for Dash and the other football players.

However, as Danny got to know her, he was surprised at how genuine she actually was, and how much the loss of her father's fortune had changed her. He was sorry for her losses, but they had made her a better person. He would not have gotten to know her otherwise. Not to mention the fact that Danny used to be completely infatuated with her.

Valerie was smart, independent, and deadly. Not to mention beautiful. They had gone out a couple of times, but Val was always been called on missions in the middle of dates by Vlad. She had broken up with him in the end, insisting she was too dangerous for Danny to date her, refusing to see him get hurt. It had taken Danny quite a while to get over her, but they had finally resumed the norm of 'just friends'.

However, Valerie never quite lost her overprotective tendencies towards him, something that Danny occasionally found quite annoying, even though he knew she meant well. However, he was glad of her help right now, as it would help him maintain the low profile he required. Perhaps he would tell Valerie who Phantom really was at the end of this mission. It just didn't seem right for him to lie to Valerie, of all people.

But first, his alter ego needed to to become her friend in order to gain her trust. He would never forgive himself if his revelation caused Valerie to hate him.

"Back off, Dash." Valerie demanded, joining Sam and Tucker in Danny's defense.

Outnumbered, Dash rapidly scanned the hallway for any sign of backup in the form of fellow football players. He had heard that the formerly popular girl was a ninth degree black belt, and he wasn't keen to take her on.

Unable to locate Kwan or any other form of backup, the bully decided it would be best to back off.

"I'll get you next time, loser. Until then, stop using girls to protect you." He growled menacingly, shoving past Danny roughly.

"That jerk." Sam snarled, glaring daggers at the retreating figure of Dash.

"Are you okay, Danny?" Valerie asked, concern etched on her pretty features.

"Danny?" Sam interjected, recognition abruptly dawning. "Danny Fenton?"

Sam was completely taken aback by the unexpected appearance of her friend. Like Tucker, he had shot up in the last few years. The Danny Fenton she remembered had been her height. It felt strange to have to to have to look upwards to see his face.

Something Sam immediately noticed was that he carried himself differently, his body language displaying a certain air of self-assured grace he had never had before, a trait he had picked up from Vlad Masters.

Although he wasn't hulking like Dash, he was tallish and broad shouldered, perhaps a good two inches taller than Tucker, no longer the scrawny freshman he used to be. His raven hair still fell messily over his face, occasionally obscuring his eyes from view, and there was a certain intensity to his striking features that she hadn't remembered fourteen year old Danny Fenton having.

He was really..._cute_.

"Hey Sam, hey Tucker." Danny grinned sheepishly. "It's been a while."

Sam couldn't believe how much she had missed that grin. Perhaps he hadn't changed as much as she had thought.

"Dude, we didn't think we'd ever see you again!" Tucker exclaimed, high-fiving the other boy.

"It's great to see you, Danny." Sam said, beaming as she pulled the three of them into a giant bear hug.

"So, Danny, what are you doing back here in Amity Park?" Sam asked, curious as to why her old friend had returned to their small, unimpressive town. "I thought you'd moved to Wisconsin for good."

"Well--"

Danny's reply was interrupted by Tucker's interjection.

"Yeah, dude. No one ever transfers here in the senior year. That's crazy."

"You didn't tell me you were coming back, Danny." Valerie admonished. "And I only saw you in Wisconsin a couple of days ago."

"I didn't know I was coming back to Amity either." Danny replied with a sheepish grin. "But Vlad decided it was time for me to stop moping around and get on with my life. I'm here to claim back Fenton Works."

"That's not going to be easy." Valerie informed.

"Yeah." Agreed Tucker. "They've turned the whole neighbourhood into the Headquarters for the Guys in White."

"Guys in White?" Danny asked, feigning ignorance. "Who are they?"

"Ghost Hunters." Sam supplied promptly, expecting Danny to be disbelieving. Newcomers to Amity Park never believed their town was infested by ghosts until sighting one for themselves. To her surprise, a look of resentment flashed across his features.

"How bad does Amity Park have it?" Danny questioned. "If a bunch of ghost hunters have their headquarters here, the town must one of the worst infested in the country."

Sam was slightly taken aback at the seriousness in his voice. She never remembered Danny ever being this serious. There was a definite hardness to his features that fourteen year old Danny Fenton did not possess. His unnaturally blue eyes seemed to belong to someone older than seventeen. Eyes that had seen too much.

"Pretty bad." Valerie admitted. "The ectoplasmic levels here are three times the national average."

Danny winced. "Does anyone ever get hurt?"

"Occasionally, but nothing serious." Tucker informed. "Amity Park's fine. Thanks to the Guys in White and this mysterious freelancer who calls herself the Red Hunter."

"Tucker likes her." Sam teased, grinning.

"Hey!" The techno geek protested. "She's hot! That red battle suit is awesome. Not to mention that jet sled. The girl knows style."

"Yeah, I agree with Tucker." Danny replied, winking at Valerie. "That girl is awesome."

Valerie laughed, lightly punching him on the arm.

Sam didn't miss the quick look of understanding that transpired between the two.

_'What was that about?'_ She wondered.

Danny and Valerie had never been close during their freshman year. In fact, the two had hardly spoken. Why had Valerie even come to Danny's defense?

Tucker, oblivious to the exchange, was astonished. "You know about the Red Hunter?"

"I've heard of her." Danny laughed. "My guardian invents anti-ghost technology. The Red Hunter uses some of his stuff."

"Can you get me her autograph?" Tucker asked eagerly.

Danny grinned ruefully. "I can try. But I'll warn you. She's a real heart breaker." Valerie rolled her eyes at him.

"Valerie, what were you doing in Wisconsin anyway?" Sam asked, curious. A cheese producing district was hardly the ideal place for a vacation.

"I spent my summer there." Valerie explained. "I had a summer job working for Danny's guardian."

"She was his PA." Danny supplied, smirking. "Vlad is tough to please."

"That man is a slave driver." Valerie agreed, sharing a knowing grin with Danny.

"All summer?" Tucker asked, astounded. "That's just wrong."

Valerie stared at the ground and shuffled her feet. "I kinda needed the money."

An awkward silence ensued. The whole school knew about Valerie's fall from popularity. Her father, who used to own a security company that guarded Axion Laboratories, was now close to bankruptcy, ruined due to the frequent attacks on the research centre by ghosts. Having lost her wealth, all of Valerie's popular friends had deserted her, save for her best friend Star, the blonde cheerleading vice-captain.

Tucker winced. He hadn't meant to be so tactless.

"Sorry." He muttered. "That was stupid."

"We're going to be late." Sam quipped, changing the subject. She, like the rest of the school, was well aware of Valerie's current financial situation. As if on cue, the tardy bell rang, the unnecessary clangour causing several students to groan at the prospect of starting a new school day.

Glancing at Danny's timetable, Valerie beamed. "You're in quite a few of my classes. We have stats now. I'll show you where that is."

"Sure," Danny grinned. "Thanks Val."

"Hey, Danny." Sam asked, uncertain. "Would you like to come to the Nasty Burger with me and Tuck after school to just um, hang out?"

She hadn't expected asking to catch up with him to be so awkward. She used to be able to talk to him all the time. It wasn't like she was asking him out on a _date_. Her face flushed at the idea. Where had that thought come from?

_'He probably thinks I'm an idiot now. We've lost contact for nearly three years. Why was I so forward?' _She cursed herself mentally.

Danny looked torn. "I'd love to," He said. "But I've got stuff I got to take care of. Maybe some other time."

"Thats okay." Sam replied, her disappointment evident.

"Sorry. I just moved here so I've got loads of stuff to take care of." Danny apologized. "Maybe tomorrow?" He asked, brightening.

"I can't make tomorrow." Tucker replied. "How about the day after that?"

"Sounds great." Danny said. "See you guys later." He waved, turning to join Valerie on the opposite side of the hall.

Sam didn't realise that she was staring until a sharp jab in the ribs from Tucker snapped her out of her reverie.

"H-huh?"

"You like him." Tucker teased, wriggling his eyebrows for effect.

"Don't be ridiculous," Sam replied, flushing. "I just can't believe how long its been since we've last seen him. Besides, Danny's just a friend."

_'A really _hot _friend.' _She added to herself.

"What was that?" Tucker questioned, amused. "I thought I heard something." He goaded, grinning impishly.

"Well you heard wrong." She fervently denied, her frosty glare promising Tucker death should he push the matter any further.

But she could not deny the ghost of a blush still present on her cheeks as she watched Danny's retreating figure disappear from her line of vision.

Later that afternoon, Danny returned to his hotel room to receive a call from Vlad. His superior had rented him a large suite in one of the only hotels in Amity Park. Despite the fact that the hotel was located in a small town, the suite was one of the most luxurious Danny had ever stayed in.

Vlad's generosity never failed to surprise him. Although his parents had made a fair bit of money as inventors, they had not built an empire anywhere near as vast and far-ranging as his benefactor's. Money had never been a problem in the Fenton family, but Danny still wasn't used to the large sums of money Vlad insisted on lavishing on him. Without Vlad, he would probably be in the care of social services right now. He would have had to master his bizarre abilities by himself, and he would never have become an agent for a national intelligence organisation, yet Vlad insisted that Danny owed him nothing.

He never failed to appreciate everything the spy coordinator had done for him in the past three years.

Except for this.

He endeavored to stop the huge yawn threatening to emerge as Vlad went through the details of the plan yet again. Vlad was a tough superior to please. Not for the first time, Danny was glad that his guardian was nowhere near as strict in matters of everyday life. Vlad was generally very liberal in terms of Danny's behavior, allowing him to do whatever he chose, something he was very grateful for.

His mind started to drift as Vlad once again went over the finer details of the operation. He could not help but think about his return to Casper High, and the reunion with his old friends. He was glad to see Sam and Tucker had hardly changed in terms of how they acted. As far as he could tell, their interests largely remained the same, especially when it came to the age old question of meat versus vegetables. Their longstanding disagreement had dragged Danny into the argument, as the pair demanded he picked a side. For a while, it felt just like old times.

Although they had spent almost three years apart, Danny still felt as though he could relate to his friends, that they understood him, even though there was no hope for things ever to return to normal. He was now a reconnaissance agent with spectral powers working for the CIA, no longer the slacker freshman he used to be.

As unusual as his way of life was, Danny wouldn't trade it for the world. He was far too attached to Vlad and Valerie to ever do that.

However, he was sorry he had to turn Sam down when she had invited him to the Nasty Burger, she had seemed genuinely disappointed. But he had to bear in mind that he had returned to Amity Park for an assignment, not to catch up with former acquaintances.

Besides, the last thing he needed was a pretty girl to distract him from his mission.

He supposed he had always thought of Sam as attractive, even during their freshman year. Her beauty was more than skin deep, her generous disposition and kind personality had drawn him to her even at the tender age of fourteen. Not that Sam was unattractive -- far from it, her fiery personality hidden behind the guise of her delicate features.

Was he attracted to her? Danny didn't know. But he did find her extremely pretty. That had to count for something.

"Pay attention, Daniel." Vlad's rebuke snapping him out of his reverie. "This is important."

In Danny's opinion, the assignment was far more complicated than it needed to be. All he needed to do was enter the Headquarters of the Guys in White as a human, deactivate the ghost shield, turn into Phantom, and investigate the premises. His ability to turn invisible would easily prevent him from being spotted, while his intangibility would allow him to navigate the building with ease. After all, he had once lived there. How much could the place have changed?

If it were up to him, he would have been in and out of the research facility by now. But Vlad was determined that the plan had to be foolproof. He insisted on running the stages by Danny again and again, until Danny was pretty sure that he could practically repeat back word for word every instruction that Vlad had provided.

"And if said endeavor fails, you are to instigate Plan Beta-dash-seventeen," His benefactor's distinctly accented voice drilled through the communicator. "disabling their back-up generator--"

"Cutting all the power in the premises. This in turn should permanently disable the ghost shield, allowing me fifteen minutes to gather intelligence before the emergency power supplies reactivate all devices in the building." Danny finished, unable to hide his boredom.

"We've been through this a million times, Vlad." He protested. "I'll be fine."

"Fine isn't good enough, Daniel." Vlad admonished. "The Guys in White may seem incompetent, but do not underestimate them. If you are caught, help will arrive far too late to save you."

Danny sighed. "Is it really going to be that dangerous?"

"That and more." Vlad replied, his eyes narrowing on the communicator screen. "Such assignments have never been given to new recruits before. With the exception of you. Even Val-- " He cleared his throat. "Even the Red Hunter wasn't broken in as harshly."

"I'll try not to disappoint." His protégé replied, grinning.

In all honesty, Danny's earlier disquiet at the prospects of this mission had almost completely disappeared. He had been issued a challenge, and he would complete it. However, he had to admit that Vlad's concern was worrying. The billionaire's attitude towards assignments was typically almost as carefree as his own.

"If things don't go well, you are to abort." The spy coordinator said, frowning. "I don't care about Caleb Jone's foolish agenda. If the plan starts to go awry, I want you out of there, _immediately_." He demanded. "You are of no help to us incapacitated."

"I don't want to fail the mission, Vlad." Danny argued. "I can't afford to."

"If your first attempt is unsuccessful, you could always infiltrate the premises again. If they subdue you, then you have truly failed the mission."

Danny rolled his eyes. What were the chances that he would be captured? The Guys in White were reputed to be a tremendous waste of budget money, spending ridiculous sums on the mere hygiene of their headquarters. Statistically, their productivity was barely a third that of Dalv Enterprises. Danny doubted that half of the subordinates of the Guys in White could even tell one end of an ecto-blaster from the other. How much of a threat could they possibly be?

"Refrain from rolling your eyes, Daniel." Vlad chided. "It is most ungentlemanly."

Danny barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes a second time.

"Anyway, I believe that I have by now managed to hammer the objectives of this assignment into your thick skull." His benefactor concluded. "You may instigate reconnaissance tomorrow. I will eagerly await for news of progress."

"Aren't you going to wish me luck?" Danny asked, smirking. Such had become the ritual prior to Phantom's assignments.

"It is not luck you require, Phantom, but a level head." Vlad replied, returning the smirk. "Use your sorry excuse for intellect for once, instead of your brawn." His benefactor teased, cocking his eyebrow in the expression that Danny had come to know so well.

His gaze hardened. "I hope you are under no illusions, my apprentice. If you are captured by the Guys in White, they will not hesitate to kill you."

**Author's Notes: **So there you have it! Danny has met Sam. Since most of you seemed to have ideas along the same lines, I have decided that the relationship is going to develop gradually. The attraction, however, is going to be pretty rapid;)

I'm going to make a little game out of who is going to crack first, Danny or Sam. There shall be some heavy flirting in the coming chapters, purely for the amusement of my lovely readers:) Please vote and tell me which of the pair do you think should give in first. As I have said before, I always take your opinions into account.

I do apologise, but updating is going to slow to about once a week, since I'm now back in boarding school and that tends to make writing much more difficult:(

**Many thanks to: **_cariadiorarua_, _kia_, _Vladimir's Disease_, _Black January_, _Sasia_, _CharmedNightSkye_, _MxMrc_, _lightanddarklove _and _CrazygirlwithaphonethatLOVESdp_ for their kind reviews. Thank you so much for your advice, and I'm glad to know that the plot that I have in my mind will agree with many of you:) I have the kindest, loviest reviewers in the world. Constructive criticism from experienced readers is the reason I keep writing.

Please criticise and help me pick up on areas that could be better. It only helps me improve.

As always, your views matter greatly to me. Kindly review and help me with the story's progression. I really do appreciate your help!

I will try my very hardest to update by next week.

**Hugs and kisses, Twisted Creampuff**


	5. Estrus

**Disclaimer: **The wonderful Danny Phantom still does not belong to me.

Kindly do continue with your wonderful constructive criticism:)

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 5**

Keeping up with his peers in class proved far more difficult that Danny had imagined.

Danny had never really worked hard in his freshman year, choosing to remain an unremarkable student, unlike his sister. Jazz had managed to achieve the highest score in the history of the CAT, while taking it a year early, a feat that Danny knew he would never match. If he had been an unremarkable student before, he was now mediocre. He understood next to none of the lessons he was taught, let alone the homework and further reading he had been assigned. He suddenly found himself failing in his attempts to understand three years worth of missed work, a feat made almost impossible due to his unusual education.

Ghost hunting was easy compared to this. He struggled behind in every subject, raising questions from his teachers about what exactly he had been doing in his three years out of Casper High. He told them that he had been home schooled, which was practically the truth. He could hardly tell them that he had been training under a veteran reconnaissance agent to be a ghost hunter for a government organisation.

First he had been home schooled, as well as trained by Vlad to gain control of his supernatural gifts. As his training as Vlad's apprentice progressed, Danny could find less and less reason to continue ordinary schooling, declaring it a waste of time. Vlad had been disapproving, but agreed that Danny should not have to study subjects he did not see the point in learning.

He had been tutored in cryptanalysis, ghost weaponry and various forms of martial arts. Vlad had taught him how to analyze his surroundings, finding his opponents' weaknesses and exploiting them, his benefactor's training equipping him with all the necessary skills a ghost hunter of the finest caliber required. Initially, Danny had been trained to dismantle and reassemble various forms ectoplasmic weaponry blindfolded, instruction he no long required due to the progression of his spectral abilities.

Vlad had been genuinely impressed by the flair his charge displayed for cryptanalysis, his adeptness for code breaking was truly remarkable for his age. Danny had progressed from the simple monoalphabetic cipher to theories of quantum cryptology in less than a year. While Danny was said to possess none of the brilliance of his parents and sister at school, Vlad believed he had finally managed to unlock his protégé's academic potential.

He had even once joked that in the highly unlikely event that Danny were to fail as a ghost hunter, the NSA would gladly take him in as a cryptanalyst. Danny considered that a high compliment coming from the spy coordinator, as Vlad had published various papers on the subject.

Initially Danny had found the training grueling, but over time he had come to enjoy his widespread newly acquired skills. They made him unique, and helped to define him as a person. It was because of his "gifts" that he was so highly valued in Dalv Enterprises. To put it simply, Danny enjoyed being more than human, as he unconsciously began to imitate the arrogance that his mentor possessed. The acceptance of his abilities had given rise to the development of self-confidence that he had not possessed prior to the accident.

He expertly twirled his pen between his fingers as he completely ignored Lancer's lecture, focusing instead on Vlad's plan for his assignment. The first part of the operation would commence that evening after school, and it was imperative that he was in the right frame of mind to perform it. Infiltrating the headquarters of the Guys in White was no easy feat.

He felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand on end as his enhanced senses informed him that someone sitting behind him was staring at him. He shifted in his seat, uncomfortable due to the unwanted attention. While on assignment, he had been trained to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He felt oddly vulnerable that his human half was also involved in this operation, that he had been forced to betray his second nature of staying hidden.

His alias, Phantom, was extremely powerful, athletic, and although Danny couldn't see it himself, apparently very good looking, according to the Red Hunter's frequent derogatory insults, often referring to him as a 'pretty boy airhead'. His career as a professional ghost hunter was fast on the rise, as he quickly ascended through the ranks at a record breaking speed. He had been considered by many others in the field as prodigious, an extremely welcome asset in the never ending struggle against the paranormal beings.

What, however, did that make ordinary Danny Fenton? Although he possessed the same spectral powers in his human form as he did as a ghost, his human form's abilities were far diminished when compared with Phantom's, an unfortunate parody of his current social life. While he was rapidly making a name for himself as a ghost hunter, he didn't really have much of a life outside of ghost hunting. At least Valerie still had friends in Casper High. His only friends were his partner and his benefactor, Vlad, apart from some casual acquaintances in Wisconsin.

He supposed he would consider Sam and Tucker his friends as well. Although they had spent three years apart, Danny felt as though he could easily trust them as much as he used to. Tucker was the same old techno geek, with the same love for all electronic equipment, but with a new (albeit just as terrible) collection of jokes, which he insisted on keeping with him at all times on his PDA, just in case he ever needed to use any of them as pick up lines on girls. According to Sam, they never worked.

Sam was still the highly opinionated individual that Danny had recalled her being. She was still very much into the Goth subculture, and Danny had to agree that black and lilac were indeed her colours. However, things between the pair seemed... weird, even awkward at times. In terms of personality and appearances, the Goth was hardly any different than she used to be. But Danny could not help but act differently around her. Maybe Sam had hardly changed, but Danny knew that he was no longer the same shy, clumsy freshman he used to be. Perhaps he had perturbed Sam with his unexpected changes in personality.

She was the most confusing girl Danny had ever come across. Nowadays, the ghost hunter didn't even know what to think when he was around her. The Goth was undeniably pretty, with large amethyst eyes and dark raven hair that messily framed the delicate porcelain features on her heart shaped face. Danny had even been contemplating asking her out, but whether she felt the same way about him, Danny had no idea. She probably did not, which would lead to many awkward between them for the time that Danny remained in Casper High. It was best to leave things as they were.

Danny shook his head. What was he thinking of, asking Sam out? He was a professional reconnaissance agent who had been assigned a mission. Getting a girlfriend now was possibly the most stupid thing he could possibly do. Not to mention Vlad would probably kill him.

Danny abruptly stopped twirling his pen, capturing it between his index and middle finger with practiced ease. Someone was still staring at him. He could practically his or her their gaze on the back of his neck, sending unpleasant shivers down his spine. If he had been uncomfortable before, now he was just plain unsettled.

Subtly he let his eyes dart to the very corner of his line of vision, in an attempt to catch the offending starer in the act. He was surprised to realise that the culprit was Paulina Sanchez. The cheerleading captain nibbled her bottom lip thoughtfully as she considered Danny from head to toe in an almost predatory fashion. Next to her sat a very disgruntled Dash Baxter, who obviously was less than pleased with the attention that Danny was receiving from Paulina.

Danny shook his head in disbelief, incredulous.

Was _Paulina Sanchez_ checking him out? High school was definitely not as he remembered.

He turned around and returned her stare, giving her a strange look. What exactly did she want?

The pretty Latina tossed her hair as she waved at him, a suggestive smile playing on her lips.

Danny frowned, fidgeting uncomfortably. That was just too weird. He sorely regretted the fact that the chairs were not backed. He could have sworn that she had just been staring at his ass.

Paulina raised her hand, flashing her perfectly manicured fingernails, painted a provocative shade of cherry red.

"May I be excused, Mr Lancer?" She asked, smiling sweetly.

"Certainly, Miss Sanchez." The vice principal replied. "Just don't take too long."

"Sure." She replied, getting up from her seat. Danny could sense the eyes of practically every male in the classroom follow her sensually swaying hips as she strutted between the desks as if it was her own personal catwalk, making sure to brush past Danny. She lightly trailed her fingers along his muscled shoulder as she passed by his desk, her seemingly innocent gesture blatantly asserting what exactly she wanted from him.

The ghost hunter sighed as the cheerleader left the classroom. There seemed to be only one logical explanation for the popular girl's behavior. Paulina must have somehow found out that he was now the adopted son of multi-billionaire Vlad Masters, and was obviously gold digging. He definitely didn't think that she was actually interested in his _looks_. While he didn't think of himself as _ugly_, he didn't consider himself _that_ good looking. At least, not attractive enough for the likes of _Paulina_ to be interested in. The girl was unbelievable.

He failed to notice the glare of burning hatred Sam directed at the cheerleader as she exited the classroom, or the dirty look of pure disgust he received from Dash. Instead, he returned to running the step by step tactics of the plan through his mind, mentally rehearsing the afternoon's operation.

_'I must be more nervous than I thought.' _Danny frowned. It was not like him to worry so much about a stupid mission.

His train of thought was once again interrupted, this time due to a heavy textbook being slammed on his desk.

"H-huh?"

"_Mister Fenton." _Lancer admonished, wielding said textbook in a manner that seemed more threatening than any ghost Danny had recently fought. "I understand that the past few years have been difficult for you, but if you continue at this rate, you are going to fail your CAT math."

Danny shrugged. It was not as if he would actually ever sit the CATs. He considered himself beyond ordinary schooling now.

"I am teaching you skills that you will use for the rest of your life." Lancer began, pacing the aisle between the desks. "But I cannot help you, Fenton, if you refuse to even pay attention."

His teacher's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms and imposed a condescending look of disapproval on the young field agent.

"But Mister Lancer," Danny argued. "Most of the stuff we get taught in the CATs we never use in real life."

"Funny you should ask about the relevance of the CATs--" Lancer began, clearing his throat.

The entire class groaned. They knew what was coming next. The vice principal was infamous for his rants about the importance of the CATs and how a single examination could affect the course of your entire life.

Lancer did not disappoint.

"Mr Fenton, as an adult, I believe that I know much more about real life than you do. However, since you ask, there are in fact many applications for this particular syllabus outside an academic career or the Ivy League. For example--"

Lancer's potentially lengthy monologue was interrupted by a shrill, high pitched beeping that seemed to echo throughout the entire school.

Danny started, the alarm shocking him into alertness. He had been informed by Vlad in his assignment briefing about the ghost alarm in Casper High, but he had hardly expected it to go off during his time in the school.

He could practically feel atmosphere in the classroom swifty transform from one of bored tedium to nervous anxiety.

Lancer retrieved a registration list from his desk drawer, and began heading down the hallway to the exit with his students.

"What's happening?" Danny asked Sam, seemingly confused as students stopped whatever they were doing and started heading for the classroom exit in a seemingly very practiced fashion.

Nervous anxiety was rapidly replaced by outright fear when the very walls holding the school up began to shake. Danny could feel the violent tremors underfoot as the room seemed in danger of collapsing.

"Ghost alert!" Replied Sam, shouting over the yells of panic. She grabbed hold of his arm. "We have to evacuate!"

"Where we meant to go?" He asked, as Sam led him out of the classroom, Tucker not far behind them.

"Anywhere but school!" She replied, dragging him along with her as she ran.

The trio passed Valerie and Star further down the hallway, the pretty ghost hunter trying to calm the cheerleading vice-captain, who seemed to be rooted to the spot with fear.

"Where's Paulina?" Star wailed. "She could be in danger!"

"Star, we have to get out of here!" Valerie coaxed, gentling tugging her friend in the direction of the exit.

"Val, what's wrong?" Danny yelled, turning back and sprinting towards his friend.

"Paulina's missing." The ghost hunter said darkly, her lips pursed into a grim line.

Danny had a rough idea of what was going through his friend's mind. Valerie hated Paulina. It was a known fact. The popular cheerleader had ostracized her when her father had first lost her fortune, showing her true colours when she alienated her former friend for shallow, superficial reasons. Yet, even someone as unpleasant as Paulina was still a civilian, an innocent that she had sworn to save.

"Danny!" Valerie ordered. "Get these three to safety."

Danny nodded, ushering Star towards the end of the hallway.

"Be careful." Her friend cautioned, as his way of wishing her luck in the presence of others that did not know her secret.

Valerie offered him a slight smile, before turning her back on Danny and Star raced towards the source of the tremors, narrowly avoiding collisions with terrified students with surprising agility as she sprinted in the opposite direction of the crowd.

There it was again. Once more, Sam managed to catch the fleeting glance of understanding that transpired between the pair before Valerie disappeared without explanation. Danny wasn't telling them something. And Sam intended to find out what it was.

"Where are you going?" Yelled Tucker, but Valerie had already disappeared round the corner of the hall.

"Val's a ninth degree black belt." Danny insisted. "She'll be fine! But we need to get to safety."

Sam listed Danny's possible reasons for secrecy in her mind as they ran for the exit, but each seemed as unlikely as the last. It wasn't as if Danny was being employed by some secret government organisation. The mere thought was ridiculous. It was probably something far more trivial, such as the fact that Danny and Valerie were going out.

Why would they make such a big secret out of it then? It was not as though such a relationship would be socially unacceptable. Danny was more than good looking, perhaps past the borderline for gorgeous, due to his striking features of dark hair that contrasted strongly with his unnaturally blue eyes. And Valerie too was far from unattractive, voluptuous where Sam was svelte, with large chocolate coloured eyes and almost ridiculously long eyelashes.

Sam felt an unexpected stab of jealously. What did Valerie have that she didn't, apart from a more prominently curvaceous figure and the fact that she was more athletic?

Somehow, the idea of the Danny dating another girl abruptly didn't seem so trivial. First Valerie, then Paulina. Why was everyone suddenly so interested in Danny Fenton?

"Sam!" Danny shouted, snapping her out of her reverie. "Look out!"

It turned out that the trio had been heading the wrong way, a fact they quickly discovered as they came face to face with a monstrous dragon, roaring as it snorted pillars of smoke out of its great nostrils, thrashing wildly in the relatively confined space of the hall. In the corner of the corridor was a very shaken Paulina, trembling as she crouched behind a row of lockers in an attempt to hide herself from the ghost.

Star, unable to stop herself, let out a shrill scream at the sight of the giant beast, unintentionally drawing the dragon's attention to them. Sam felt her breath momentarily hitch in her throat as the dragon's eyes glowed an eerie green, rearing itself on his hind legs as it roared in acknowledgment of its new prey.

"Turn back!" Tucker wailed, his voice at least an octave higher than usual. In any other scenario, Sam would have found the situation funny, but things are never funny when a bloodthirsty ghost has spotted you.

Danny felt sick with dread when his ghost sense perceived the power the dragon possessed.

"_This_ is the ghost?" He asked, incredulous "Its _huge_."

He had never met a ghost as powerful as this one in the field. Although the ghost would hardly be considered strong when compared to Vlad Plasmius or himself, it had to be classed as a level 5 at the very least. This was no ordinary ghost, and he could not help but worry.

Would the Red Hunter be able to handle it alone?

All three of them seemed frozen to the spot in awe at the gargantuan specter before them, roaring and bellowing small blasts of fire as it approached them, the magnitude of its huge footsteps seeming to shake the very earth. Danny was the first to regain his senses, tugging the other two behind him as they fled from the beast.

"We've got to get out of here!" He hissed. "Now!"

The dragon roared again, charging towards the trio at a thundering pace. Not for the first time that day, Sam felt a wave of panic overcome her as the dragon lunged towards them. In a few moments the beast would catch up with them and they would be seriously injured, if not dead.

She stumbled, unable to keep her balance while sprinting as fast as she could as the ceiling in front of her caved in, the approach of the ghost shaking the foundations of the school to the core.

Danny was upon her in an instance, scooping her in his arms before she even began to fall. Sam vaguely wondered how Danny had managed to get to her in time. It would have taken ridiculously quick reflexes to even manage to cushion her fall, let alone catch her. And yet, he had somehow managed it.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concern written all over his striking features.

It felt somehow intimate, to hear him speak in this compromising position, his lips so close to her ear. She could faintly feel his hot breath on her cheek, sending fervent shivers up her spine.

Sam flushed as she felt her hand trail along his muscled torso. Despite the gravity of the situation, she was genuinely surprised to find slabs of muscle underneath his shirt. Since when did _Danny Fenton_ work out? It was odd, yet strangely..._nice_.

It felt nice to be in his arms.

Sam shook disgustedly. She was being stupid. _Nice_ was not a word. _Nice _was the most undescriptive piece of vocabulary ever invented by man. Had she not recently taken part in, and won, a recent school debate proposing to remove the word _nice_ from the English dictionary?

She supposed she could describe the experience as enjoyable, euphoric, or perhaps just _pleasant, _another offensively plain word. But none seemed to fit the circumstance as well as the word _nice_.

"Leave them alone, ghost scum!" They heard a feminine voice's battle cry.

The Red Hunter sped above them on her jet sled, poised in a battle stance. She circled the dragon before her, her visor hiding the grim expression on her features. The dragon had to be stopped before anyone was fatally injured. The apparition roared, accepting her challenge as it faced the hunter, its previous victims forgotten.

Danny was relieved that the Red Hunter had showed up in time. After all, it was Valerie's duty, not his, to protect Amity Park. If he had been forced to transform and save Casper High, his assignment would no longer remain covert. Putting himself on the radar of the Guys in White was possibly an even stupider and larger encumbrance to his mission than asking Sam out.

Amity Park just wasn't his turf... right?

"Thank God for the Red Hunter." Tucker sighed, snapping Danny out of his guilt trip. "I thought we were goners."

His relief was cut short when the ghost raised its long, whip-like tail, slamming the ghost hunter into the floor. Even at the opposite end of the hall, Danny could feel the tremors from the sheer force of the ghost's assault. The Red Hunter's cry of pain was enough convince Danny that Phantom was needed. The secrecy of his mission was secondary to the safety of his friend. He couldn't let Val take on a level 5 ghost all by herself. Plus, there was a civilian in danger. Paulina needed saving.

"_Run._" Danny demanded, shoving Tucker and Sam in front of him.

"What about you?" Tucker asked, confused.

"I'm going to find Val!" Danny replied, already running back towards the giant specter. "I had no idea the ghost would be this destructive!"

"You can't! It's too dangerous!" Sam screamed at his retreating figure. "Come back!" But Danny had mysteriously vanished.

"We have to get out of here." Tucker urged, placing a comforting hand on Star's shoulder.

The cheerleader looked shaken, but slowly nodded in response.

The dragon paused and scented the air, bellowing. It had finally noticed Paulina. It charged towards the end of the locker row, its furious rampage fueled by Paulina's shrieks of fear when she realised that she had been discovered. The Latina flinched and buried her face in her hands, as she anticipated the dragon's attack.

The cheerleader's screams were joined with those of Star's, distraught with worry about the safety of her friend.

Out of nowhere, a rapid hurricane of black and white streaked past their line of vision, slamming the dragon backwards into the wall in a single, fluid motion.

Sam gasped in surprise, relief overcoming her usually stoic tendencies.

"What _is_ that?" Tucker wondered out loud, voicing his friend's astonishment.

The ghost roared in pain, glowing green eyes searching wildly for its mysterious attacker.

Danny swiftly materialized in the air above the dragon, adopting a combat stance not unlike that of the Red Hunter's. Sam could not help but notice that unlike the female ghost hunter, the newcomer had no jet sled. She vaguely wondered what was keeping him up in the air.

She was mildly surprised to discover that he was about their age. While it was a well known fact that the Red Hunter was young, she never expected that there would be other professionals around her age as serious about ghost hunting.

Their mysterious savior swept the sobbing Latina into his arms, carrying her as teleported himself to outside the school grounds.

The Goth blinked in surprise as he disappeared from view, performing the physically impossible. Had he just _teleported_? Even at a time like this, Sam felt annoyance at how unbalanced society was. How much technology was the rich and effluent withholding form the general public? Technology such as this could easily contribute to raising the standard of human life.

Outside Casper High, Danny could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, preparing him from combat. It felt good to be Phantom. He loved the feeling of the raw ectoplasmic energy coursing through his body. It made him feel, ironically, _alive_.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the task ahead. Valerie needed help. The sooner he delivered Paulina to safety, the sooner he could get back to the attacking specter and assist Valerie.

"You'll be safe here." He comforted, setting her down outside the school.

While he had expected the cheerleader to be trembling with fear, he had not anticipated the pure awe and adoration that shone on the popular girl's face.

"You saved me!" She squealed, ecstatic as she leaped onto her savior, clutching him in a manner that Danny could not class as anything but invasive, pressing her ample chest against his collarbone. While Danny Fenton of three years ago would have been thrilled at his closeness with his onetime crush, he had been over her for years. Paulina had wronged Valerie too much for Danny to ever forgive her.

"Whoah, Miss. Personal space." He expressed awkwardly, trying to put some distance between them.

"Why?" She asked, beaming, obviously not used to males rejecting her advances. "You're my hero!"

Danny didn't bother with a reply. He had wasted enough time as it was. He had to return to the school and assist the Red Hunter before the dragon completely destroyed the school. He concentrated on returning to Casper High and teleported back to the hall, dematerialising mid-grope from Paulina's grasp.

The Red Hunter started slightly when her partner abruptly reappeared next to her with a bright flash of light, levitating in a seemingly relaxed battle stance.

"What are you doing here, jerk?" The Red Hunter yelled, her annoyance evident. "Is upstaging me on missions not enough?"

"Relax, Red." Her mysterious savior shouted in reply, blasting the spectral dragon with what seemed to be a massive beam of green energy that appeared from his fingertips. "I'm here to _help_, if you haven't realised."

"I thought you were in Wisconsin training with Mister Masters." His acquaintance grumbled, blasting the dragon with a massive bazooka. "This is the last place I'd expect you to show your face."

"I _was." _He replied, before grinning impishly. "Formation Epsilon?" He suggested, smirking.

"As long as I get to do the blasting," The Red Hunter replied, reloading her weapon. "I have no complaints."

Abruptly the monstrous blue beast reared its ugly head, bellowing an immense torrent of emerald flames at Casper High's defenders. Even from the safety of the empty classroom Sam could feel the sheer heat of the dragon's attack. She winced as stinging heat blisters began forming on her skin, inflicting her with first degree burns even though she was not in the dragon's range of attack. She gasped for breath as the surrounding air heated up, making breathing more and more difficult.

If she was experiencing such difficulty even _breathing _from the estrus of the dragon's attack, how was the Red Hunter and the newcomer to survive the dragon's repeated onslaught of fire blasts? Despite their specialised suits, they were only human.

Sam's disquiet intensified as the white haired boy suddenly altered his flight pattern, turning around and advancing towards the dragon, haphazardly dodging its bellows of fire as he approached the beast.

Perhaps the heat had caused him to become disorientated. Or perhaps the dragon had cast an illusion on him, confusing him. She had heard that there were ghosts which possessed such powers. He had to be warned before--

Sam gasped when she realised what Casper High's mysterious new defender intended to do. He was going to face the dragon head on, and parry its attacks blow by blow. Somehow, the plan seemed too insane to be even attempted.

Roaring, the ghost faced its new challenger, deeming him a bigger threat than the other ghost hunter.

The dragon blasted an immense ball of flame in Phantom's direction, almost double the size of all previous attacks. Sam could not bear to tear her eyes away from the scene. Their savior would be burnt to a crisp. Nothing could possibly hope to survive such intense heat.

Her gaze widened as ice seemed to explode from his fingertips, as he began releasing the frost at an even greater rate, hurling it at his opponent's fireball, his counter reducing the flames to nothing more than a large amount of steam. The force of his attack sent the beast hurtling backwards, demolishing several walls in the process. It struggled to get back on its feet, obviously wounded.

That was all the distraction the Red Hunter needed. Twin lasers materialized on the shoulders of her suit as she uncapped a strange device that looked like a thermos, blasting the creature with two deadly rays of pure energy. In its weakened state, it was incapable of dodging her attacks, a fact that the Red Hunter took to her advantage, blasting the specter with every single weapon that she possessed in her arsenal.

Finally the dragon fell, the ground quaking at the impact. Pressing a button, blue light seemed to emit from the thermos-like device, sucking their adversary into it, despite of its small size. Sam was genuinely surprised that such a small object could contain a creature of that much power.

"Nicely done." The Phantom grinned, offering the Red Hunter a high-five. She stared at his hand as though it was contagious, carrying some form of deadly disease.

Even through her mask, Sam could tell that she was visibly surprised. The Red Hunter looked torn, as if surprised at the way in which her partner was acting, and unsure as to how to react to the situation.

"I suppose you weren't too bad yourself, _pretty boy_." She finally replied, before returning his high-five.

"I have a _name_, Red." He protested.

"Don't push it" She warned, mounting her jet sled. "Just because you haven't been acting like an insufferable jerk today doesn't mean I forgive you."

The Phantom merely smirked. "You take what you can get. I'll cover you. Go do what you need to."

"Thanks." She acknowledged, exiting the school through the now non-existent ceiling.

The white haired boy followed her example, disappearing in a flash of light.

Sam, Tucker and Star stared at each other in disbelief, unable to process the events that had just taken place.

"Who _was_ that?" Star breathed, stunned.

"Beats me." Tucker shrugged, pulling his PDA out of his cargo pants pocket as he began inspecting it for damage.

Sam frowned. There had been something very familiar about the ghost hunter in the black and white jumpsuit, but she was finding it difficult to pinpoint exactly what it was. The way he talked, the way he moved, even that smirk... Sam was positive that she had seen him before. Body language was personal. No two people acted exactly alike, not even mindless clones like Paulina.

She scanned her memory in hopes for some clue that would help her figure out the nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling that she was missing something.

"You okay?" Tucker asked, placing a hand on his shoulder, his PDA returned safely to the confines of his pocket. He looked concerned. The techno geek obviously thought she was in shock from the ordeal that they had just undergone.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine." She assured him, failing miserably when she attempted a convincing smile.

"If you say so." He replied, shrugging.

Danny Fenton stumbled into the hallway several moments later, his face streaked with dirt, but seemingly unharmed.

"What happened Danny?" Sam asked, concerned, as she ran forward to assist him in case he was too weak to support himself.

"Yeah, where did you go?" Tucker asked, confused. "I swear you just disappeared into thin air!"

"I'm sorry I worried you guys." Danny grinned sheepishly. "I went looking for Val. The ceiling was about to collapse on her when I found her, but this guy wearing a black and white jumpsuit saved her and brought her to safety."

"We saw him too!" Star supplied eagerly. "He saved us from the dragon!"

"I think he works with the Red Hunter," Tucker interjected. "and I overheard that they both work for someone called Masters." He shrugged. "So much for the media's idea of her being a freelancer."

"The Red Hunter has a _partner_?" Danny asked, frowning.

"Apparently so." Tucker sighed. "At least they're not together," He added, brightening. "she wasn't very nice to him. I still have a chance." The techno geek grinned.

Sam rolled her eyes. Tucker was the biggest opportunist she had ever met.

"In your dreams, loser." Star mocked, although her insults lacked their usual sting, almost as though she was teasing him. She was obviously grateful to them for looking out for her. "You can't even get normal girls, and you're after the Red Hunter? She's practically a celebrity around here."

"Hey, who knows." Tucker shrugged, grinning.

"Yeah," Danny replied, returning his friend's smile. "anything's possible."

**Author's Notes: **I am terribly sorry that I ended it on such a random note, but I felt that this chapter was getting too long. The last thing I wanted was to bore my readers with too much writing. Hence, I have transferred some of this to the next chapter, to prevent it becoming too wordy.

Danny and Sam are _already_ pretty attracted to each other, but I'm going to step it up a bit more in the next chapter, so that should be fun for my lovely readers, in which a Danny-Sam-Phantom love triangle is just going to add more trouble to the mix;) You'll be glad to know that I've already written half of it. I apologise, but I am a very slow writer. I usually only write a maximum of 500-800 words a day, if I have the time. Now that I am back in school, writing is extremely difficult and I am trying my best to meet the deadlines that I promise you guys.

I am glad that most of you think that Vlad is IC, and I am ecstatic that he is becoming one of your favourites. However, I have decided to include a justification for his characterisation anyway. I believe that although canon Vlad is jealous of how happy Jack Fencon is, his rage has clouded his judgement and caused him to forget how happy he was in his college days with Jack and Maddie. In TUE, a much older Vlad is shown holding a photograph of him and Danny's parents, and he laments that ten years without ghost powers has helped him to realise what was truly important. That was a truly special moment for me, and I think it helped to flesh out Vlad's character a lot more. I hope that you will find this a valid justification for my unorthodox portrayal of our favourite lonely single man in his forties:)

Lastly, I very am grateful that the plot I outlined seems to agree well with all of you, since I believe that keeping you entertained is the most important thing I should consider when writing:) Would you like me to start giving you little snippets of coming chapters so you know what's coming next? I have written at least 500 words for each of the subsequent nine chapters, and I'm working on it slowly. I've already decided on much of the plot, although it could still do with some fine tuning with your help.

**Many thanks to:** _Evil Long Pename Having Individual End, CharmedNightSkye, kia, Black January, twilightgal, AmazonKit86, cariadiorarua, Yuleen75, Vlad Snuffles_, and _ravenluvah _for their awesome reviews. It's great people like you that keep a smile on my face with your extroadinary encouragement:)

As always, thank you all for staying with me and keeping me on my feet with your lovely reviews. Every single review means a lot to me and I always take what you say into account. Thanks once again for your constructive criticism!

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	6. Reverberation

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Danny Phantom. 

This chapter is dedicated to the wonderful BlueMyst19, who so very kindly agreed to be my beta reader.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 6**

The rest of the school day seemed to crawl by for Danny. Apparently ghost attacks were so common in Casper High, that even such a large incident did not merit the students the rest of the day off. Danny was glad that hardly anyone had seen him, although Paulina and Star were busy telling anyone who would listen about the mysterious ghost hunter who had saved them. Thankfully, cheerleaders were not known to be reliable sources of information. Part of the student body might have believed them, but Danny was sure that Lancer and the other teachers probably thought the pair had been under some form of ghostly illusion.

With luck, word of his presence would not leave the school. After all, who would take two teenage girls seriously? He stifled a huge yawn as Lancer continued to drone on about something unintelligible, unable to subdue his feeling of restlessness. Danny couldn't believe that he could stay perfectly still for hours on end on a stakeout operation, but he couldn't keep himself from falling asleep in double General Studies. Whoever had decided to send him on this mission was obviously a sadist.

He started suddenly as he received a sharp jab from Sam. She shot him a warning look as Lancer prowled down the aisles between their desks, scanning his classroom for those not paying attention in a predacious fashion. Danny immediately adjusted his slouch, sitting up straight and endeavoring to look as attentive as possible. Receiving detention last thing on a Monday was definitely now what he had in mind, especially with the first part of the operation taking place that evening.

He shook his head, annoyed at himself. The atmosphere in Casper High was infectious. So what if he received detention? He could just phase through the walls and leave. He was above and beyond ordinary schooling now. Lancer had no authority over him. While he was Phantom, he was even above the law. The only person he had to answer to was Vlad, and Danny intended for it to remain that way.

However, his field mission was worrying him more than he cared to admit. He had never been assigned such an extensive mission before. Was he nervous? Danny chewed his bottom lip. The Phantom _never_ got nervous. Vlad's paranoia regarding the mission was definitely rubbing off on him. The operation was one of many things that were currently bothering him.

He couldn't help but wonder, what did Sam really think of Phantom? The trio had discussed their encounter with Casper High's latest savior during lunch, and Danny had been surprised to know that his usually excessively opinionated friend did not have a view regarding Phantom.

Tucker, on the other hand, was more than eager to discuss all matters regarding the pair of teenage ghost hunters, in particular his chances with the Red Hunter. Danny just didn't know how to respond friend's infatuation with her. While Sam maintained her exasperation, Danny found it amusing that Valerie had such an avid fan.

He was glad that Phantom's relationship with the Red Hunter seemed to have taken a turn for the better. Although at the start of the battle Valerie had been outright rude to him, she had been almost civil after they had captured the dragon. A few more missions like that, and he would be ready to reveal his true identity to her. It was only fair, since she did not know that Phantom was already aware that the highly reputed Red Hunter was in fact seventeen year old Valerie Gray.

"Danny?" Sam's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "School's over."

"Oh. Right." He grinned sheepishly as he began gathering his books.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concern etched all over her delicate features. "You always seem distracted."

"Yeah." He replied. "I'm just having a hard time catching up, that's all."

"Are you sure?" She insisted. "Me and Tucker are always ready to listen if you need us."

"I'm fine." He flashed her a reassuring smile.

Sam didn't seem entirely convinced, but Danny was saved from further questioning by the shrill clangour of the bell, signaling the end of the day.

"There's some stuff I need to sort out." Danny said apologetically. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"All right." His friend conceded, giving in. Danny gave her one last guilty look before dashing out of the classroom and disappearing down the hall. Vlad had probably heard about his appearance in Casper High from Valerie. Hopefully his benefactor was not too perturbed by the news.

He snapped open his beeping communicator the moment he returned to his suite in Amity Hotel, only to be greeted with his mentor's dark scowl. Danny gulped when he realised his benefactor's face was as black as thunder, half expecting Vlad's eyes to start flickering red.

This could not be good. Vlad hardly ever got angry at him. But when he did, Danny would willingly switch places with anyone in the world to escape his rebukes. _Scary_ did not even begin to cover what his mentor was like when he was mad.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I." He grimaced, resigning himself to his fate.

"What part of low profile do you not understand, Daniel? You are all over the evening news!" Vlad roared, livid.

"H-huh?" Danny gaped, completely taken aback. He had made the _news_? All he had done was assist Valerie in the capture of the dragon specter, and the media had already sunk their claws into him. Amity Park must have been far more boring than he remembered.

His mentor's scowling face disappeared from the screen as a recorded clip from a news bulletin flashed on the communicator.

"_Breaking news -- the students of Casper High fell victim to yet another ghost attack earlier this afternoon, a great blue spectral dragon which authorities have ranked extremely dangerous. The threat was incapacitated by the mysterious Red Hunter even before the Guys in White arrived at the scene, once again raising issues about whether our local ghost hunters are tax money well spent. The dragon caused nearly twenty thousand dollars worth of damage to the newly renovated school."_

Danny vaguely recognised the face of the reporter from his days in Amity Park three years ago. If memory served him correctly, her name was Melissa Stuart, winner of the 'Reporter of the Year' award in Amity Park a couple of years running.

"_The Red Hunter was assisted by an associate whose identification is also unknown. Her accomplice, an adolescent male with shocking white hair, appeared to have been wearing some form of anti-ghost suit of a variety of functions that enabled him to fly, as well as combat ghosts with spontaneous ecto-weaponry. The teenage ghost hunter, who has been coined _'Invisio-Bill'_, was last seen in Casper High. He disappeared along with the Red Hunter and not a trace has been found of them since, despite the surveillance of numerous CCTV cameras around the educational facility."_

The camera zoomed out from Melissa Stuart's attractive features, as the camera man focused on the wreckage the dragon had caused, including the gaping hole in the roof of the school. Danny winced. He had never been involved in such a high profile ghost attack before. Why had he been so impulsive?

"_I have with me several eye witnesses who claim to have seen Casper High's mysterious new savior."_

Turning to the scene behind her, she approached a fashionably dressed dark haired girl standing outside the school with her blonde friend. Noticing the approach of the camera, she smiled sweetly, somehow managing to look stunning despite the dust that covered her clothing and the bits of debris stuck in her hair.

"_Miss, what is your name?"_

"_Paulina Sanchez." _The pretty Latina on the screen replied, tossing her hair. _"And this is Star."_ She added offhandedly, gesturing towards her friend.

"_Tell us, Miss Sanchez, did you manage to get a glimpse of this mysterious new public defender?"_

"_Yes I did." _She replied, sighing dreamily._ "He saved me. This great big ugly dragon was towering over me, trying to eat me, and he swooped me into his arms, and carried me to safety! I'd never flown before." _She said excitedly. _"It was amazing!"_

"_What was your impression of this Invisio-Bill?" _The reporter on screen questioned, smiling in spite of herself. An enthusiastic subject was always worth the interview.

"_He was so totally hot!" _The cheerleader squealed. _"He was so dark and mysterious, like one of those heroes you see on TV. And he had the most amazing eyes," _She finished breathily. _"I never knew eyes could be that gorgeous shade of green."_

_'Paulina thinks I'm hot?' _Danny arched an eyebrow, bemused. If Vlad wasn't about to kill him, he would've been weirded out beyond belief.

_'"And you, miss." _Melissa Stuart began, acknowledging Star as she pointed the microphone in her direction. _"What was your impression of Invisio-Bill?"_

"_He was awesome" _Star gushed excitedly. _"He saved me and a couple of other people from the dragon when I was trapped in the hallway."_

"_I know you are no combat specialist, Star. But could you possibly try and describe the Phantom's fighting style for us? Did he fight like the Red Hunter?" _The reporter inquired, genuinely curious.

"_Yes and No." _The cheerleader replied, pausing to think._"The Red Hunter seemed to know exactly what Phantom was going to do before he did it. It was kinda as if they'd worked together many times before. They didn't doubt each other for a moment. And their kicking and punching looked as though it was choreographed by the same person." _

Danny would have smirked then if he had dared. He might not have been able to see Vlad due to the recorded bulletin, but Vlad could definitely see him. Smiling at such an inappropriate moment would be unwise to say the least. Having his mentor's training compared to the trivial choreography of cheerleading must have stung at Vlad. The belittlement had definitely added to his benefactor's ire.

"_What differences did you notice?"_

Star frowned as she tried to recall the amazing fight scene she had witnessed.

"_For one thing," _She decided._"Invisio-Bill was a lot stronger than the Red Hunter. He managed to slam the ghost into the wall without using weapons. He could also disappear from one place and reappear almost immediately somewhere else. I've never seen the Red Hunter do that on TV. Also, he doesn't have a jet sled. He just levitated in the air."_

"_Anything else?" _Melissa Stuart urged, making no effort to hide her glee. These student interviews would guarantee a large viewership for sure.

Star chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully as the reporter pressed her for more information.

"_Oh yeah!" _She exclaimed, snapping her fingers._"His weapons are all built into the hands of his costume, instead of actual weapons like the Red Hunter. I think he has a different suit from her." _She finished, pleased with herself for having remembered so much about the fight even in her previous fear.

"_I see." _The Melissa Stuart replied, smiling warmly. _"Well thank you both for your help."_

Turning to the camera, the reporter flashed her viewers a winning smile and decided it was time to wrap up the news report.

"_This has been Melissa Stuart, and you have been watching an Amity Park News Update. Anyone with information regarding Amity Park's latest new savior and his affiliation with the Red Hunter, kindly contact us for a generous reward."_

The screen flickered momentarily, and Danny found himself once again staring at his mentor's face of pure fury.

"It is a miracle they did not capture your transformation on CCTV." His guardian admonished, glaring down his apprentice.

Danny took a deep breath, steadying himself before attempting to defend his actions. "I'm sorry, Vlad. I know that was stupid--"

"Stupid?" The spy coordinator bellowed, reminding Danny for an instant of the bloodthirsty dragon he and Valerie had battled earlier that day. "Stupid does not even begin to cover what a foolish, impulsive, unprofessional _idiot_ you made of yourself today!"

"But I had to! I couldn't have let Val take on that huge ghost by herself." Danny protested.

"So you thought you would play the hero, and put yourself on the radar of all the ghost hunting authorities within a hundred mile radius?" Vlad roared. "I have no need for an apprentice who foolishly seems to be developing a hero complex!"

Not for the first time since he had answered the communicator, Danny was glad that he wasn't face to face with Vlad in person. His mentor was scary enough behind a screen.

"I wasn't _playing the hero._" Danny protested. "I'm not that stupid. My loyalties will always lie with you. But I've got a duty to Val as well. I have to be there to make sure she doesn't take on more than she can handle."

"_The Red Hunter_ is aware of her duty, as you should be of yours! Her strict resolve is something you could learn from." Vlad maintained, placing heavy emphasis on Valerie's alias. "Your intervention was completely unnecessary."

Danny opened his mouth to retort, but closed it when he realised that he could not find anything to say. Vlad was right. Amity Park was the Red Hunter's turf, not his. No wonder Val had been annoyed to see him. He had doubted her capabilities as a ghost hunter, indirectly insulting her.

Vlad took Danny's silence as an opportunity to reinforce his disapproval.

"You've just destroyed the only advantage we had over the Guys in White -- the element of surprise. All to assist a high ranking agent who was more than capable of handling the threat herself."

"Val could've gotten seriously hurt!" His protégé insisted, looking away. "I'd never be able to live with myself if she did."

His mentor inhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I _suppose_ the ghost was a level 5." Vlad sighed, his resolve cracking. The billionaire had a huge soft spot for his adopted son. Danny was all he had left of his old friends. He had never managed to remain angry with Jack or Maddie or long, a trait that Danny had unfortunately inherited.

His apprentice timidly met his eyes, half expecting his mentor to start shouting at him again.

"Sorry." He muttered. "I've screwed the whole mission up."

His benefactor's gaze softened. "I understand perfectly, Daniel. I would not have been able to compromise Valerie's safety either, had I been in your situation."

Danny sighed in relief, his shoulders slumping. "So you understand why I had to do it."

"I understand. However, that does not make your behavior acceptable." The spy coordinator rebuked. "It was highly unprofessional of you. Had you been in any other devision, you would have been severely reprimanded for your thoughtless actions."

Danny winced. Following procedure had never been his strong point. However, he didn't value this mission anywhere near as much as he valued his friend.

"I know you think I'm probably being overprotective and stupid, but I would never have been able to forgive myself if Val got hurt."

Vlad shook his head, exasperated. "Valerie Gray does not need protection. She has been in this business far longer than you have. She made her first capture before you were fifteen. She is hardly a novice at ghost hunting."

"I know Val's good. She's one of the best ghost hunters out there! But she always tries to take on more than she can handle. The dragon could have killed her."

"Whatever your reasons, _Agent Phantom_, the outcome will not change." His superior expressed firmly. He placed heavy emphasis on Danny's alias, verifying for his charge that Vlad Masters the mentor had forgiven him, but Vlad _Plasmius _the spy coordinator still strongly disapproved, as was his duty.

"The Guys in White are now aware of your existence. Precautionary measures must now be instigated. Your current assignment for this afternoon must be aborted." Vlad instructed.

"Yes sir," Danny replied, determined to redeem himself by demonstrating his newfound willingness to follow procedure. "I will stand by and await further instructions."

Vlad massaged his temples as he contemplated just how he was going to redeem his apprentice in the eyes of the CIA.

"I hope that you realize, Daniel. Your assignment has just become infinitely more difficult."

The subsequent day following the attack, all the students of Casper High could talk about was the school's mysterious white haired savior. Whether he was ghost, human, or something else, no one knew. The media was offering extensive rewards to anyone who could shed some light on the true identity of Amity Park's new public defender. Most agreed with the media's theory, that "Invisio-Bill" was a human wearing an anti-ghost suit similar to that of the Red Hunter's.

Paulina was ecstatic about her television debut, where she had declared to the world her undying love for Phantom. The pretty Latina was completely infatuated with Casper High's newest savior, redecorating the inside of her locker to form a mini shrine dedicated to her affections for ghost hunter. Sam had even heard that she had plans for the basis of a fan club.

The Goth wasn't too perturbed. To say Paulina was capricious when it came to boys would be a severe understatement, she was notorious for going through a boyfriend a fortnight. The popular girl had founded various fan clubs over the years, mostly of famous boy bands or teenage heart throbs.

She didn't think the cheerleader's obsession would last too long. Besides, who knew if _Invisio-Bill_ would ever decide to visit Amity Park again. Sam rolled her eyes. The media came up with the most ridiculous names.

What Sam didn't understand was how Paulina could so easily declare her love for the ghost hunter when she had spent at most five minutes in his presence. Although she had to admit Casper High's mysterious savior was gorgeous, Sam knew beauty was only skin deep. Paulina was a prime example.

Sam herself had never been in love. The closest she had ever been to truly caring about someone outside a platonic relationship was when she dated a Goth she had met at a poetry cafe. The relationship with Gregor had lasted several months, until Sam realised that not only he had been cheating on her, he wasn't even Goth. His actual name was Elliot, notorious for two-timing girls. Sam had brutally ended that relationship.

She could not help but wonder if she was developing a fetish for white haired males.

For all anyone knew, Invisio Bill could be a huge jerk, if the Red Hunter's hostility towards him was anything to judge him by. However, Sam could not help but wonder how big a jerk someone could be when he had dedicated himself to defending the public from spectral threats. However, she could not deny that he had come across as extremely cocky, a quality Sam did not find particularly attractive.

She had seen the ghost hunter fight, and had to admit that he knew what he was doing, and _looked good _doing it, a trait he and the Red Hunter had in common. Initially, the public had been distrustful of the Red Hunter, doubting her true motives. But three years of defending the town had transformed the mysterious girl into one of Amity Park's local celebrities. Several attempts had been made to discover the Red Hunter's true identity, but all had failed.

The Red Hunter's reputation had certainly paved the way for her accomplice. The public loved heroes. It was doubtful he would be looked upon with the same suspicion as the Red Hunter initially was, since he was affiliated with her. Already he was being romanticized, given the title of public defender even though he had yet to be caught on film.

Personally, Sam didn't really care. It wasn't like she would ever see him again.

She had more pressing issues on her mind. Like where she stood with Danny. She could hardly decipher her own feelings towards him, let alone how he felt about her. While Danny had never been reserved in terms of his emotions, Sam could not help but feel that no matter how genuine he seemed to be, there was a certain aloofness about him that he did not use to possess, almost as though he was wary of revealing too much about himself.

Over the past few years, it had become almost a ritual for her and Tucker to sit in empty classrooms for their free periods. Sam wasn't really a social being, and neither was Tucker. The solitude suited both of them. For the issue she was about to raise with her friend, she was glad of the privacy of the vacant classroom.

"Tuck, we need to talk." She said, grimacing.

"Sure." Her best friend replied, sitting up from his slouch. "What about?"

"It's kind of about Danny."

"Really?" Tucker asked, grinning. "How are things between you two? From the way you were eyeing him in class today, I'd say you have the hots for him."

"It's not _like_ that, Tucker." She objected, glowering. "I'm trying to be serious!"

"You do like him, don't you?" He pressed. "You can't hide stuff like this from me. I know you too well Sam."

"I told you before, Danny's just a friend." Sam insisted, visibly annoyed. She hadn't thought that getting through to Tucker would be this difficult. She had wanted to confide in him, not get teased about her so called crush on Danny.

"You're not fooling anyone Sam." The techno geek's grin widened. "I've never seen you so smitten since Gregor."

"I was never smitten with that _jerk_." Sam hissed. "And can you be serious for just five minutes? I'm trying to tell you something important."

Tucker sobered instantly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. What his friend was trying to tell him was obviously important. Sam could scary if pushed too far. "I'm listening."

Although he could definitely see the chemistry between his friends, he wasn't going to push the matter any further. It was best to let the pair figure things out on their own, especially with a girl as strong willed and stubborn as Sam.

Although he _might_ be forced to meddle if both of them were too stubborn to make the first move.

Sam visibly slumped, all traces of her previous ire immediately leaving her features.

"I'm worried about Danny." She admitted.

Tucker frowned. Sam obviously really liked him, although whether Danny liked her, Tucker hadn't quite figured out yet.

Danny's feelings had always been transparent to Tucker in the past, more so than Sam's. He was a terrible liar, and pair had always known when he was happy or upset. However, Tucker could not help but feel that Danny had gotten a lot better at concealing his emotions over the course of the past few years. As friendly as he was with Tucker and Sam, the techno geek could tell that Danny wasn't allowing them to perceive how he truly felt, as though there were emotional barriers that he could not afford to cross.

He did not have Sam's intuition regarding such matters, but he too had known Danny for most of his life. If he hadn't used to be so close to Danny, he would have have completely missed the subtle changes in his demeanor.

"Yeah, I agree. He's way more serious than he used to be."

His friend's gaze softened. Sam was glad that Tucker had noticed it too.

"He's not telling us something, Tucker."

"Sam, just because he doesn't laugh as much as he used to doesn't mean that he's hiding something from us." Tucker reasoned.

"He is!" She insisted. "I can't place my finger on it, but it's almost like he's a completely different person."

"Danny's had a rough couple of years. He's gone through some pretty big changes since freshman year. Ever thought about that, Sam?"

"It's not just that." She maintained, unable to maintain her cool as she argued her point across. "Remember when Valerie disappeared during the ghost attack? Danny knew exactly where she went and what she was going to do. I saw it in their eyes."

"They've known each other for a long time." Tucker shrugged. "Maybe this isn't the first time she's run off."

"Can you explain where Valerie went then?" Sam challenged.

"Valerie probably went to find Paulina." Tucker reasoned. "Star was pretty upset that she was missing."

"What makes Valerie responsible for Paulina?" She argued. "Valerie _hates_ her. She is under absolutely no obligation to help her. She must have been up to something else."

"Danny said that the ceiling almost fell on her. How far could she have gone?" Her friend said.

Sam shook her head. She was still not convinced.

"Look him up, Tucker. See what he's been up to for the last three years."

"Look him up?" The techno geek repeated, astonished. "Whatever it is, I'm sure Danny will tell us when he's ready. It's really not any of our business."

"Which could be never! We have to do this for his own good." Sam insisted, determined.

"Maybe that accident three years ago changed him. Maybe he still hasn't let go. That could be a reason for his strange behavior, Sam." Reasoned Tucker.

"Just three years ago, we knew Danny better than anyone else in the world. And the Danny we knew was never serious."

"The Danny we knew was also barely five foot four with his entire family still in tact! We've changed too, Sam. You just haven't realised it."

"I need to know!" She shouted. "I need to know what changed him, and why he hasn't confided in either of us. I'm worried about him, Tuck." She whispered, her voice softening with each syllable she uttered.

"Alright, you win." Tucker said, raising his hands in a conceding gesture. I'll run a search for Danny Fenton in the US Civilian Database."

"Thank you." Sam sighed, throwing her arms around her best friend. "I just have to make sure Danny's okay."

**Author's Notes:** I noticed that I had foolishly managed to mix up some of the dialogue at the end of this chapter, but that's fixed now. Apologies. Sam is catching on! I'm sorry there wasn't very much action in this chapter, but chapter seven is going to be majorly Phantom x Sam, with some Danny x Sam, so I hope that makes up for this uneventful installment. I am ecstatic that all of you seem to like where this story is heading.

I was trying to fit some Danny x Sam into this chapter, but I could not seem to find the opportune place to fit it in, so I have decided to leave it for the next chapter. I am not sure if I will end up with too much Danny x Sam, though.

**Thanks to:** _Straying Life, Black January, kia, CharmedNightSkye, cariadiorarua, __soaring-bright-flame_ and the absolutely amazing _BlueMyst19_, whose experience and huge background knowledge were invaluable to me. I adore all you wonderful people:)

As usual, please do let me know how you find the chapter, and if you agree with how the story is getting on. Your reviews do mean the world to me.

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	7. Infatuation

I am terribly sorry for the accidental shuffling of dialogue at the end of the previous chapter. I have now fixed the error.

Disclaimer: The wonderful Danny Phantom is not mine.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 7**

Danny yawned as he brewed himself some fresh coffee, tugging at his boxers as he searched the messy suite for his navy combat trousers. With any luck, he would remember to ask for room service today. He had hardly slept that night, concerned as to what the CIA had to say about his intervention of the Red Hunter's duties at the beginning of the week. Vlad would deliver the verdict to him today, although to be honest, Danny wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

"Good morning, Daniel." Vlad masters greeted from his bureau as he snapped open the communicator with a flick of his wrist. There was no point even checking transmission ID. His apprentice was the only one of his subordinates who dared to interrupt his mid morning tea.

Danny's face soon appeared on his communicator screen, his worry apparent on his features.

"Am I being suspended?" His charge asked.

"Thankfully, no." The spy coordinator sighed. "Caleb Jones seems rather keen for you to complete this mission, although I would urge you to be wary of making such mistakes in the future."

"Sorry." Danny muttered. "I'll just let Val do her job next time."

"A wise choice." His benefactor agreed, massaging his temples. "I would have preferred your infiltration of the Guys in White's headquarters to have been rapid and systematic. Now it seems I _will_ have to establish a case against them to justify your extended visit to Amity Park."

His protégé winced. "Is the paperwork hell?"

Vlad attempted a reassuring smile, although he imagined it probably came across as strained.

"Although I cannot deny that this is far from the easiest alternative, I am glad to know that you have learned your lesson."

He shook his head at the guilty look his apprentice was giving him. "You can make up for it by actually training this week. Now that the Guys in White are aware of your existence, you will need all your acquired skills to infiltrate their premises. Just because you are on a field mission does not give you a valid excuse to slack."

His apprentice gaped at him in mock indignation. "I _have_ been training!"

Vlad smirked. "The security camera in your hotel suite seems to indicate otherwise."

Danny ran a hand through his messy raven hair. "So I'm stupid. I can't keep up with the work we get given in school. It takes up practically all my free time."

His benefactor laughed. "Your intelligence cannot be questioned. You have definitely inherited your mother's intellect. Although you do seem to be taking school life rather seriously."

"I actually quite enjoy being normal." Danny admitted. "It's a welcome break from ghost hunting."

"I never thought I would ever hear you say that." Vlad chuckled. "You were so eager to rid yourself of all normalcy just three years ago."

"I just never realised how much I missed it." Danny shrugged.

"It is just as well." His guardian replied, wary to steer the conversation well away from the accident. "Your cover would not be as convincing otherwise."

His charge grinned. "What can I say? I'm awesome at undercover work."

"That remains to be seen." Vlad replied, cocking an eyebrow. "You have yet to actually perform a single reconnaissance operation."

His subordinate rolled his eyes at him. But there was no malice in the gesture.

"I'm gonna be late for school." Danny informed, as he downed the last of his coffee. Vlad wrinkled his nose. Coffee was a vile substance. "Any further instructions?"

The spy coordinator shook his head. "Take some time off, Daniel. You will need to be in top form to begin the infiltration next week."

His apprentice nodded, of traces of his previous jovial attitude void on his features. "I'll tell you if anything comes up."

Vlad allowed himself a slight smile of approval. "Very well, Agent Phantom. We will be in contact shortly."

The senior spy coordinator snapped his communicator shut and sighed. That boy was more trouble than he was worth. It was already apparent that Daniel was far too emotionally involved in this mission. Although that could not be helped, considering the traumatic experiences in Amity Park he had been forced to undergo.

Vlad had to admit that he had worked his protégé pretty hard the past three years, but his exceptional abilities had to be mastered. If Daniel had absolutely no control over his considerable abilities, the mass destruction that he would unwittingly cause would be extreme. He was the most prodigious agent Vlad had ever recruited, advancing rapidly through the ranks in less than a year. His apprentice was the perfect ghost hunter, save for his recently developed hero complex.

Vlad Masters shook his head. His charge could never ignore a cry for help. His kind disposition was inappropriate for a ghost hunter of his caliber. His benevolent nature was even more unsuitable, now that he had been recruited by the CIA. The higher authorities did not tolerate mistakes.

He scrolled through his list of contacts, debating which of his several dozen lawyers to assign to this case, although it truly would not matter who he chose to give the case to, since it was merely a cover to aid his apprentice's infiltration of the Guys in White Headquarters. But Vlad Masters always put his best foot forward.

The veteran spy reached for his pot of English Breakfast, glad to be able to quell his withdrawal symptoms. He needed tea so badly, his teeth were chattering. The caffeine would be a welcome addition to his system.

He sank back into his soft, black leather armchair, easing a sigh from his lips as he poured himself a cup of tea. He was getting much too old to be involved with reconnaissance work. To be honest, Vlad was perfectly happy to lead a simple life as the CEO of a multi billion dollar company, although it did not look as though he was going to get his way any time soon.

He was leisurely sipping the soothing hot liquid when a short, squat ghost chose the moment to burst into his office, phasing through the bureau wall. It closely followed by a dark haired teenage girl, balanced recklessly on a jet sled. Valerie Gray released the safety on her ecto blasters, firing two successive shots in the frenzied ghost's direction.

The ghost yelped and covered its eyes, turning intangible just in time to narrowly avoid both blasts. His squad member swore, much to Vlad's disfavour.

"You know the company policy, Red Hunter. No jet sleds indoors." The veteran ghost hunter admonished.

"Sorry about that, Mister Masters!" The Red Hunter yelled, leaping off her jet sled and over the veteran ghost hunter in a fluid handspring. "R and D accidentally released this level one!"

"I am the Box Ghost!" The specter cried. "BEWARE!"

It thrust several storage boxes in Vlad's direction, in a sad attempt to unseat him from his desk. Although the Box Ghost's aim appeared to be terrible, it had succeeded in flinging the billionaire's desk into the far corner of the room, scattering his diligently sorted paperwork all over the room.

Vlad pursed his lips. The disruption of his work was definitely adding to his annoyance. All the information he had carefully laid out on his desk was now strewn all over the floor. Not to mention the ghost had spilled his tea.

The billionaire was further disgruntled when the level one commenced some ill conceived battle cry, ostentatious enough to qualify as the '_witty banter_' his apprentice insisted on exchanging during engagements, the primary difference between this _Box Ghost_ and his charge undeniably being that Daniel actually tended to _win_ all his fights. He highly doubted the level one before him had even felled a single adversary during its entire existence.

"Fear my corrugated cardboard fury, pathetic human!"

Vlad narrowed his eyes in disapproval. How rude.

"Never insult Mister Masters, ghost scum!" His subordinate yelled, powering up her ecto blasters to a higher energy level.

Vlad decided he had endured the torture of the Box Ghost's insubstantial threats for long enough. The halfa lazily summoned an orb of ecto energy, cradling it in his palm as he prepared subdue the derisory, squat ghost wrecking havoc in his bureau.

"That won't be necessary, Mister Masters." His protégée implored, momentarily ceasing her pursuit of the escaped ghost as she attempted to show her benefactor back to his now overturned desk. The specter, seeing a golden opportunity, fled the room, phasing through a wall on the opposite end of his office.

Vlad shrugged, allowing the sphere of energy to dissipate. "Very well, Valerie. But do inform the incompetent fool who released it that I am most displeased."

Valerie laughed, giving him a thumbs up as she exited the room. "If there's anything left of him by the time I'm done with him."

Vlad shook his head. He was far too lenient to the Red Hunter and Phantom. Although he knew it was highly unprofessional to view them as seventeen year old teenagers, their benefactor could not help but feel that as exceptional as the pair were, they were both still children.

Valerie was without a mother and Daniel had lost both Jack and Maddie. It was not the first time that Vlad had wondered that perhaps it had been the pair's unusual upbringing that had resulted in their extraordinary aptitude for ghost hunting. The captures made between Phantom and the Red Hunter accounted for almost thirty percent of the ghosts acquired by Dalv Enterprises. An impressive feat, considering Vlad employed a squadron of thirty eight.

The Box Ghost was certainly an unusual specimen. Vlad had never seen a level one capable of any form of psychokinesis, whether it was limited to cardboard boxes or not. Perhaps once Valerie had subdued it, he would have Research and Development conduct several experiments to look into the anomaly.

He righted his upturned desk, gathered the papers off the floor and resumed his selection of a team of lawyers. His tea just would have to wait.

Protégés were more trouble than they were worth.

Double Chemistry last thing on a Friday afternoon was never pleasant under any circumstances. It was especially unpleasant for Danny when he could not suppress the rising feeling of guilt for encumbering Vlad with pointless paperwork. He really wanted to ask Val how Vlad was coping, but that would raise unnecessary questions on how he was so well informed about Phantom's case.

He did not doubt that Phantom had gained the Red Hunter's trust. They were both professionals. Valerie was far too efficient a ghost hunter to let her personal dislike for someone disrupt an assignment. However, he could not help but feel that his alias' relationship with Valerie was yet to become stable. Perhaps he would reveal his identity to her after a few more missions together. It was only fair. After all, he was one of the only two people in the world that knew the true identity of the Red Hunter.

Danny felt pretty bad. He was going to the Nasty Burger to celebrate the beginning of the weekend of Tucker and Sam, while his benefactor remained in Dalv Enterprises, sorting out legal matters he had caused.

"You ready for some real food?" Tucker asked, pocketing his PDA. Sam stood beside him, depositing the last of her books into one of her compartments.

"I just have to put dump books into my locker." The ghost hunter grinned, dashing to the other side of the hallway.

Sam wasted no time in redirecting the conversation towards their enigmatic acquaintance.

"Have you looked up Danny yet?" She asked, making sure their friend was out of earshot.

"Not yet." Tucker replied, reluctant to discuss the matter. "I've been busy."

"Too busy to hack into government databases?" The Goth asked, disbelieving. "We're doing this for his own good."

"I don't know, Sam." Tucker faltered. "It really isn't any of our business."

"I'm really worried about him." She insisted. "Promise me you'll do it this evening."

"Are you sure you're not trying to find out something else about him?" He teased, grinning slyly. "Like if he's single?"

"Come on, Tuck. He's _Danny Fenton_. If I really wanted to know I would've asked him by now." She said, attempting to maintain a facade of indifference. "We have to look out for him, whether he wants us to or not."

"Fine." Her friend sighed, relenting. "I'll run a search on the US Civilian Database tonight."

"Thank you." Her friend smiled gratefully, leaning against the hallway wall as she waited for Tucker to finish emptying his locker.

"But if you like Danny you'd better make a move." Tucker warned, ignoring her earlier refusal to admit her feelings. "He's not going to stay single for long."

He gestured towards the other end of the hallway, where their friend seemed to be deep in a discussion with an attractive blonde junior. Their conversation was impossible to overhear due to the slamming of lockers and the continuous thumping of books by their peers, but Danny actually did seem interested in what she was saying.

Sam felt her heart sink, an unexpected feeling of jealousy bubbling in the pit of her stomach. First Valerie, then Paulina, and now _this_.

"Hey guys." Valerie Gray quipped as she approached the pair. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing much." Tucker shrugged.

"Sam? What's wrong?" Valerie asked, noticing the glower on her friend's features. She looked as though she was about to hit something.

The ghost hunter's eyes followed Sam's towards her friend on the other side of the hallway, where they rested on Danny's tall form, understanding dawning on her pretty features.

"You like him, don't you?" She grinned.

"What gave you that idea?" Sam denied, for the second time within five minutes.

"What's wrong with liking Danny?" Valerie reasoned. "He's gorgeous."

She smiled slightly when she caught the fleeting look of concern on Sam's face. Samantha Manson certainly was possessive.

"I'm not competition." She laughed, taking Sam's hand to reassure her. "Danny's one of my best friends. I haven't been seeing him for more than a year, and it wasn't really working out."

"Oh. Right." Sam said, refusing to appear relieved.

"Any advice for her?" Tucker interjected, forcing himself into the conversation.

"Not really." The agent frowned. "Just be yourself. Danny likes you anyway." She gave Sam's hand a reassuring squeeze, pretending not to notice the flush blossoming on the Goth's cheeks. "Tell him how you feel, and let me know how it goes."

"How do you know that he likes me?" Sam asked, blushing a deeper shade of scarlet. "Have you actually asked him?"

"Danny can't hide anything from me." Valerie declared. "I can almost always tell what he's thinking."

Tucker shot Sam a significant look, grinning. "Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks you'll make a great couple."

"Oh, and I went to see Mister Masters recently." She added, snapping her fingers as if she had just remembered, handing Tucker a folded piece of paper. He looked at her in confusion.

"The Red Hunter's autograph." She winked.

Tucker was speechless.

"I won't say I think I love you." He finally managed. "I _know_ I love you."

Valerie laughed. "Don't let the Red Hunter catch you saying that."

"Thanks, Val." Sam finally managed, smiling gratefully.

"Yeah." Tucker agreed, still in disbelief. "Thanks."

"No problem." She laughed, disappearing from view in the crowd of students.

"That girl is amazing." Tucker grinned, studying his newly acquired autograph.

Sam laughed, shaking her head. Tucker could sometimes be so exasperating. But her opinion of Valerie Gray had definitely changed for the better. But that didn't mean that she and Danny weren't hiding something.

"Are you done yet, Danny?" Tucker yelled across the hall, earning himself a dirty look from Lancer.

The Goth watched as he excused himself from the conversation with the blonde junior, who seemed fairly disappointed at his departure.

_'Better luck next time.'_ She smirked. It was amazing how uplifting her conversation with Valerie had been.

"What were you two talking to Val about? Danny asked as he approached, genuinely curious. He had never known Valerie to get along with his other two friends.

"Not much." Sam shrugged.

"She gave me the Red Hunter's autograph!" Tucker whooped, excitement shining on his features. "I'm on her radar!"

"Did she?" Danny grinned, trying not to laugh, and Sam distinctly got the feeling that there was yet another secret he was keeping from them, once again raising the question of how well did Danny actually know the Red Hunter? Valerie obviously had some connection with her, since she apparently worked closely with Vlad Masters as his PA.

Sam had to wonder, why did Vlad Masters employ a seventeen year old high school girl when there were probably a multitude of fully qualified adults who would give anything for the chance to work under billionaire as his personal assistant? And was he the same _'Mister Masters' _that the Red Hunter and her accomplice had referred to during the attack on Casper High? Sam failed to understand how average, ordinary, endearingly clumsy Danny Fenton had a part to play in this rapidly expanding web of intrigue. Perhaps they could convince him to reveal the cause of his newfound secrecy at the Nasty Burger.

It felt somehow wrong, sending Tucker to investigate one of her best friends behind his back. She could easily empathize with Tucker's displeasure concerning the matter. But Sam could not help but feel that Danny was not completely happy with his new life. He smiled just as much as he used to, but through her intuition Sam had realised that hardly any of his grins were genuine, as though he had to constantly hold himself back to prevent himself revealing his true emotions.

"I can't you guys how much I've missed this place." Danny declared, depositing himself on the cushioned plastic seating with a sigh as he sipped on his coke.

"Don't they have Nasty Burger outlets in Wisconsin?" Tucker asked, appalled.

Danny shrugged. "They probably do, just not where I live. Vlad's house is literally in the middle of nowhere."

"What do you normally do?" The techno geek questioned. "You can't just stay at home all day."

Sam subtly studied him from across the table, eyeing his face for any flicker of concealed emotion, although she had to admit that his looks were distracting. He was handsome from striking features, which Sam realised that she found far more attractive than the conventional teenage good looks of Dash Baxter and his clones. It didn't help that his strong jaw drew Sam's attention to his deliciously kissable lips, while his dark hair contrasted strongly with his magnetic blue eyes.

"Vlad usually takes me on his business trips." Danny explained. "So I'm never really in one place for more than a week."

"That's pretty cool." Said Tucker. "Are you going to Japan any time soon? They've got PDAs there that we're not going to see for another six months."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I go." Danny grinned, and the Goth could not help but feel that perhaps he really wasn't hiding anything from them. Danny was far too emotionally expressive to hide his feelings from anyone.

"That's a lot of Nasty Sauce." Sam cautioned, as Danny began squirting his second packet of the fiery sauce onto his burger. "After three years away from the Nasty Burger, are you sure you can handle it?" She challenged.

"I like mine hot." He drawled teasingly.

Sam flushed. His tone was light, and hardly suggestive, but she could already imagine herself moaning as he pinned her beneath him, his tongue hot on her--

"Uhh, Sam? Snap out of it." Danny prompted, waving a hand in front of his friend's face.

"H-huh?" She shook her head to rid herself of the images that had formed in her mind. What had gotten into her?

"You okay, Sam?" Danny asked, worry written all over his features. "You kinda spaced out for a moment there. You haven't even touched your tofu melt."

Sam glanced down at her burger, slathered in hot sauce. Suddenly she didn't seem so hungry for tofu.

She folded up her napkin neatly. "I'm not hungry."

"But the reason we came here in the first place is because you said you were starving." Danny protested.

"Yeah, well... now I'm not." She insisted lamely, taking a sip of her lemonade.

Her crush frowned. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Tucker tried to disguise his derisive snort as a cough and failed miserably.

"What?" Danny demanded exasperatedly, completely oblivious.

"Nothing." His friend grinned.

Sam was all too painfully aware of the all-knowing glint Tucker had in his eyes. He knew. She subjected him to her frostiest glare, wiping the smirk off his lips as the techno geek's self-preservation instincts kicked in, "Tell Danny and I'll hurt you." written all over her features.

Danny shrugged, not willing to push the matter further if it made Sam feel uncomfortable.

It was then Sam finally accepted the absurd truth. She liked _Danny Fenton_.

"_Right_." Tucker said, attempting to steer the conversation away from topics that would be fatal to him. "Anyone up for seconds?"

He was rewarded by icy silence from Sam and a half hearted shrug from Danny.

"Just me then." He grinned, leaving the table.

The rest of their meal, or rather, Tucker's meal, passed in inconsequential conversation. The trio hardly spoke, enjoying each other's company, something they had been denied for more than three years. Amiable banter was exchanged on several occasions, including jibes on Tucker's part on Danny's newfound interest in working out. Sam was finding it increasingly difficult to convince herself that Danny was indeed hiding something from them. Perhaps Tucker was right. Even if he was, it really wasn't any of their business.

"We should probably think about leaving." Tucker said. "I've got a ten thirty curfew."

"What?" Danny asked, disbelieving.

"I'm so behind on my work it's not even funny." The techno geek explained.

"Are you sure you're gonna be safe walking home in the dark?" Danny asked, concerned. "With all the ghosts around this area--"

"I'll be fine." Assured Sam, squeezing his hand, and Danny felt an indescribable urge not to let go. "I've done it a million times before."

"Yeah." Agreed Tucker. "Besides, Sam's so scary, the ghost's are probably more afraid of her than she is of them. Unless, of course, you _want_ to walk her home." He finished grinning, earning himself a glare from Sam.

"Uh, okay then." Danny replied, visibly bemused. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"See you on Monday, Danny." Sam smiled, surreptitiously treading on Tucker's foot.

The pair waved at Danny, who began heading in the opposite direction. Once he was sure he was out of his friends' line of sight, he spun, changing direction as he sprinted towards the trash receptacle at the back of the Nasty Burger. Satisfied that the area was empty, he surveyed the area for the presence of CCTV cameras with practiced ease. Convinced the alley was clear, he braced himself for the transformation.

The air around him seemed to cackle with energy, the blinding white halo of light encircling his waist as he experienced the familiar surging of energy through his veins as his genetic material metamorphosed. He couldn't believe how afraid of his powers he used to be. Although it had taken years of training to finally perfect his abilities, being Phantom was always so indescribably liberating, especially after being denied the use of his abilities for almost a week.

Turning invisible, he took to the air, swiftly teleporting himself back to the driveway of the restaurant. The pair could not have gotten very far on foot. Tucker's house was only a five minute walk from the Nasty Burger, but Sam's mansion was on the other side of the suburbs. Maybe he was being paranoid and overprotective, but there was no being too careful. He would not have been able to forgive himself if either of his friends got hurt when he easily could have protected them. Especially Sam.

He rose into the air, managing to distinguish Sam's dark hair and Tucker's obnoxiously coloured green beret from his high altitude. The sidewalk was almost deserted, apart from his friends and a couple strolling contentedly, probably on a date.

"What the hell was that, Tucker?" Sam demanded angrily.

"What?" Tucker defended.

"You were making it so obvious I liked him, with all those stupid hints you were dropping."

Danny froze in mid air. Sam liked someone? Why had she told Tucker but not him? He shook his head, disgusted with himself. Why would it matter if she did? He had known all along that asking Sam out was an impracticality, not to mention a huge encumbrance to the mission. He would never be able to reciprocate her affections. Professional agents such as himself could not afford to succumb to such frivolous practices. It was best to leave things as they were.

He trailed silently after the pair, barely noticing when Sam and Tucker parted ways.

He could not deny that Danny Fenton was far from prime boyfriend material. It was too much to ask for Sam to be attracted to his human half. He had spent the last three years hiding his true identity behind the facade of Phantom, he had forgotten how Danny Fenton was supposed to act. Valerie was the only person that he had maintained an ordinary friendship with the past three years, and Danny hadn't known her before the accident.

Danny could not banish the thought that perhaps if Danny Fenton had no chance with Sam Manson, Phantom was a different case entirely. He also could not help but wonder that perhaps the reason that the Red Hunter had yet to figure out that Danny Fenton and Phantom were the same person was because he was beginning to develop a multiple personality disorder.

His morose train of thought was roughly interrupted when he exhaled a cloud of icy mist. He flexed his fist as adrenaline began to course through his being, preparing himself for combat. His ghost sense had informed him that the ghosts, although not a particularly large threat, were present in large numbers. Danny closed his eyes, concentrating. There were definitely more than a dozen in the immediate vicinity.

The ghost hunter smirked. He could handle them. There was, however, the minor issue of Sam. Civilian witnesses were never a good thing. Phantom could easily subdue the ghosts without revealing himself to the Goth. He was more than adept at the basic skills he had learned as Vlad's apprentice, capable of maintaining invisibility for hours on end. But someone as smart as Sam would be suspicious if ghosts began assaulting thin air. He was sure she would keep his appearance to herself. Claiming to have witnessed the second appearance of 'Invisio-Bill' would definitely result in media attention. And Danny knew better than anyone else how Sam hated public recognition for anything she did. Danny shook his head, frustrated with his own lack of dedication to his mission. Even if it had been forced on him, it was imperative to complete every operation assigned to him to the highest standard. Revealing himself to a civilian, even one he trusted implicitly, would be beyond stupid.

He could not let the knowledge that Sam liked someone else drive him to make reckless decisions. However, the damage had undeniably been done. The Guys in White were already aware of his existence, thanks to the media. As it was, they were probably running extensive background checks on him. While he did not doubt the reliability of Vlad's preemptive measures, the local ghost hunters had probably already managed to learn a fair amount about Phantom.

Perhaps he could create the impression that he was benign. If the Guys in White could be convinced that he was on their side, they would be less suspicious of the Red Hunter's mysterious new ally. In a way, Danny reasoned, he was furthering the progression of the mission. Either way, his primary concern was protecting Sam. He'd never be able to forgive himself if she got hurt. Reaching a decision, he materialised in front of the Goth. She jumped slightly, surprised by his presence.

"A large number of ghosts are heading this way." He stated calmly. "I suggest you run."

The animalistic howls from behind him indicated that it was too late. A pack of thirteen wolves rounded the corner, their spectral eyes glowing red in the eerie light. The ghosts approached the pair, their carnal growls displaying a savageness Danny had seen far too often in paranormal beasts.

"Stay close to me." He cautioned, as twin energy blasts began charging at his fists, accepting the ghosts' feral challenge.

Sam watched as the ghost hunter favoured the lupine specters with a smirk, sinking into the familiar combat stance Sam had seen him use just days before. The wolves growled, their hackles raised, and Sam failed to suppress a dull shudder at the gruesome sight of the beasts' massive canines. While she, like many others in Amity Park had been assaulted by ghosts before, she had never personally seen an attack of this magnitude.

The pack divided themselves into two, circling the pair from both sides as they attempted to drive the humans into a corner.

Sam could feel the specters' foul breath on her face as they circled her, the rancid odour enough to make her gag. She refused to be intimidated, retrieving a disused signpost from the side of the street and hurling it at the ghosts. It narrowly missed the beasts as they scattered to dodge the unexpected attack, falling on the pavement with a dull metallic clang. The wolves they retreated, backing away with uniform snarls. The Phantom raised his eyebrows. Perhaps she did not require protection after all.

He flung two blasts of ectoplasmic energy at the wolves, hitting one squarely on the back. It yelped, and Danny could faintly detect the unpleasant odour of burning hair as its fur singed. The beasts roared in challenge, dismissing the slighter female for the larger threat before them. Danny was not unduly worried. He had fought far more powerful ghosts than the wolves encircling him, and in far greater numbers. The engagement would not take more than a couple of minutes.

He released an explosion of ice unto the wolves, stopping half of them in their tracks. The newly acquired ability was fast becoming one of his favourite offensive attacks. If it worked against Vlad, it would surely fell these low level paranormal beings.

Although the wolves could not hope to compare with the dragon she had seen the white haired boy fighting, Sam could not fail to be impressed by the skill and ease with which he felled the ghosts. He had immobilised half the pack in a single attack, and Sam had a feeling the other six were not going to last much longer against the ghost hunter.

Two of the wolves that leaped at him, only to be subdued with a series of ectoplasmic charged punches in rapid succession. The white haired boy eyed the remaining wolves with an expression could not be described as anything but amusement, stepping over the immobile the beasts as they slumped on the concrete sidewalk. It was then that Sam noticed the fundamental difference between the Red Hunter and her accomplice. The Red Hunter was always serious, dedicated, _focused_. To the ghost hunter before her, much of it was a _game_.

He briefly glanced towards Sam's direction, ensuring her safety before extending his palm towards the remaining wolves, encapsulating them within a surging shield of energy. The beasts snarled, raking their razor sharp claws against the energy field in an attempt to break free. With his left hand, the ghost hunter reached for the thermos-like device attached to his white hazmat belt, freeing it in a fluid motion. Pressing a discrete red button on the side of the device, he activated its containment function. With a yelp, all thirteen wolves were drawn into a glowing vortex of blue light in all manner of awkward positions.

Although Sam had anticipated the brightness, having witnessed the Red Hunter capture the dragon specter did not prepare her for the magnitude of the capture up close. She stumbled as she felt the containment device exert an unfamiliar pulling force on all surrounding subjects, finding herself unwittingly drawn towards the weapon.

She shook her head at herself, disgusted. She had managed to survive the onslaught of more than a dozen wolf specters, yet she had lost her balance at the sight of a harmless bright light. The ghost hunter probably thought she was an idiot.

"Can't keep out of trouble, can you?" He quipped, offering her a hand.

Sam ignored it, helping herself to her feet. Did the jerk think she was incapable of standing up on her own?

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "I know you're not the damsel in distress type, but I was just checking if you were hurt."

"Like you know anything about me." She retorted, agitated.

"Hey," He said, backing off immediately. "I was just trying to be polite."

"How polite can you be when you haven't even introduced yourself?"

"I could say the same for you." He parried, kicking up an eyebrow.

Sam scowled. His ego seriously needed to be deflated. His esoteric green eyes met the pale lavender of hers, and she was forced to acknowledge that Paulina had not been exaggerating when she had insisted on their irresistible shade of green.

"Red calls me Phantom." He grinned, breaking the silence.

She studied his features. It was the first time she had ever seen him face to face, but Sam not deny the uncanny feeling of familiarity she felt towards the ghost hunter, although she was certain that she had never seen him before the fight with the dragon. There was an aspect of his grin that although she could not place, Sam found herself trusting him instinctively.

"Sam Manson." She replied. There was no harm in him just knowing her name.

"Let's get you out of here before anything else tries to attack you." The Phantom laughed. "Let me guess. Manson Estate?" He deadpanned, offering her his hand.

"You'd have to be an idiot not to figure that out." She jibed, rolling her eyes as she took his hand.

She failed to mask her surprise as he scooped her into his arms, easily supporting her weight beneath his strong arms.

To Sam's immense disorientation, next second was a complete blur to her. One moment she was in the middle of a secluded driveway in the middle of the suburbs, the next she was levitating above her mansion, clinging tightly to Phantom as he supported her. She knew the experience should have shocked her, but she felt undeniably safe in his arms. Being carried by Phantom was perhaps just as pleasant as the incident in which Danny had cushioned her fall, although the Phantom's personality could not hope to compare with Danny's.

She was genuinely surprised at how large the grounds of her home appeared from the air. Not the first time in her life, she felt embarrassed by her wealth, and she hoped that the Phantom was not judging her on the flamboyance of her parents.

"That's twice I've saved you now." He grinned, gently setting her down on the balcony of her room.

"I didn't need to be saved." She corrected, folding her arms. "I could've handled the wolf things. It's not the first time I've been attacked."

"I'll have you know," He replied, smirking. "that I usually require payment."

"What kind of payment?" She asked warily, as his smirk widened.

How had Phantom manage to find out her parents' wealth? She had been stupid enough to believe that he was helping her just because he liked playing the hero, that he liked her enough to keep saving her. She had obviously made a fatal error in her judgement.

Then why was she still attracted even though he was obviously just a greedy bastard?

It was not until she saw the glint of mischief in his eyes did she realize he wanted _that_ kind of payment, the beginnings of a blush forming on her features.

Sam could not help but notice how the pale sliver of moonlight in the ebony sky illuminated his striking features, making Phantom seem otherworldly, enhancing the charismatic mystery surrounding him. His exotic green eyes seemed to possess an ethereal glow that fascinated Sam, despite the fact she knew it was probably a trick of the light.

She suddenly realised that their faces were close. Very close. She could feel the Phantom's strangely frosty breath on her lips as his strong hands grasped her lower waist, drawing her towards him until she found herself pressed completely against him. She marveled at how her soft curves molded into his muscled form, two halves of a complementary whole.

_'Are you just going to let some random guy you just met kiss you?' _Her voice of reason questioned, as the hand on her waist traveled lower down her back.

His gloved hands fingered the back of her skirt as he gazed at her softly, as if asking for permission. The soft brush of the fabric against the back of her thighs was enough to send wild shivers of anticipation down Sam's spine.

Still, Sam resisted succumbing to a mere impulse, refusing to ruin her chances with Danny in a single moment of irrationality. She licked her lips, wetting them as she stared into the ghost hunter's magnetic green eyes. Did she want him? If not, now was surely the moment to dissent. She was sure he would respect her decision, before a fundamental line was breached. It was now or never.

The Phantom lowered his head, brushing his lips softly against hers. Slowly, sensually. The carnal sensations he evoked deep within her at such simple contact caught Sam completely by surprise as her already palpitating heartbeat sped up, an unfamiliar, heady feeling dominating her consciousness.

And then it was too late to tell him to stop.

She parted her lips, impatient with his teasing as she wordlessly urged him to quicken the tempo, clutching at the dark material of his stealth suit.

She was far from disappointed disappointed when he finally captured her lips with his own. His tongue sought the interior of her lips, subduing the last of her mental objections as her eyes fluttered shut. Her hot, hungry mouth made stark contrast with the chill of his as their tongues intertwined. He started a rhythm, maintaining the provocatively slow pace she had no choice but to follow, hardly recognising the moan of frustration that disrupted the quiet night air as her own.

Sam could feel the Phantom's smirk through their kiss as he quickened the pace, complying with her protests as she moaned unabashedly from his ministrations, thrusting her tongue against his until she finally broke away, gasping for breath.

Did Phantom just not need to breathe? She was suddenly aware of the lack of responsiveness from her legs, and she willed them not to give way as she clutched wildly at his stealth suit, leaning against him for support.

"Am I too much for you?" He grinned, instantly reminding Sam how much she despised his arrogance.

_'He isn't even out of breath.'_ Sam realised, indignant. _'That's not humanly possible.'_

"You wish." She retorted, shooting him a challenging look.

She was suddenly struck by how different his kisses felt from Gregor's. They had never been as carnal, as _involved_. Gregor's kisses were almost always demanding, overzealous to an extent, and they lacked the effortless sensuality Phantom's kisses possessed. She had thought her ex-boyfriend had been a good kisser, but he paled in comparison with Phantom.

"I have somewhere I need to be." He said gently, attempting to release her taut grip on his hazmat stealth suit.

"Oh. Right." She stammered, willing her brain to revert from its previously blank state.

"I'll see you around." He grinned. "Sam, was it?"

"Yeah." She replied, attempting to sound indifferent. Even to her own ears she failed miserably.

"I've saved you twice. You still owe me a kiss." He deadpanned, though Sam could see he was struggling not to laugh.

"In your dreams." She smirked, playing along as he dematerialised, illuminated by a bright flash of light.

Once she was sure he was gone, Sam Manson sunk onto her balcony floor and finally succumbed to the heady euphoria that had been threatening to overcome her the entire encounter, raising a hand to her burning cheeks. She had just kissed _Phantom_. She surprised herself by letting a contented sigh escape her lips. When was the last time she had let herself get this affected by a boy?

Her good mood was not dampened when the slow ringing of her phone pierced the night air. She flipped open the phone, checking caller ID as she accepted the call. She wasn't surprised to realise that the call was from Tucker.

"Sam?" Tucker asked on the other line.

"Yeah Tuck?" Sam asked, giggling. She still felt slightly giddy from her encounter with Phantom moments earlier.

"Are you _giggling_?" Her best friend asked, incredulous. Sam Manson _never_ giggled.

"Don't be ridiculous." She denied, "Giggling's stupid." all traces of her previous good mood completely gone.

Tucker frowned. There was something Sam wasn't telling him. He never before heard the Goth sound so...chirpy.

"_Right_. Anyway, you were on to something Sam. " Her best friend said. "There's more to Danny than we used to know."

"What did you find?" She asked, absently twirling a lock of raven hair between her fingertips.

Tucker took a deep breath, as though steadying himself before replying. "I tried looking for Danny in the US Civilian Database, to see what he's been up to the last three years."

"And?" Sam prompted, impatient to know what had her best friend on edge.

"And according to that, and any other database I tried to look him up on, Daniel Fenton does not exist."

Author's Notes: The plot thickens! I am sorry about the long wait between updates, but I have been indescribably busy the past fortnight, and I hope my wonderful readers forgive me. I hope this eventful, Phantom x Sam chapter makes up for the previous one, as well as the fortnight I made you wait for this update:(

What do you think of the pace at which Danny and Sam are moving. Too fast? Too slow? Also, should I include some Tucker x Valerie in this fic, or will that be too irrelevant to the plot?

Also, I think it is time that I acknowledged all the wonderful people that have favourited me. I am truly honoured that you think me worthy of alerts! **Many thanks to: **_Maffeoel, Pterodactyl, Angel Frog CharmedNightSkye, Ember518, Evil Long Penname Having Individual End, Icefire101, KILLERGRIM23, Laughing Hyena, Ryuumahou, Sasia93, Wushu, lunerfox, rmedinap24192, twilightgal, Black January, Kuro Tori, Straying Life, lightanddarklove, Yuleen75, phantom-willow217, soaring-bright-flame, vlad snuffles, twilightgal _and my beta the wonderful _BlueMyst19_, who revels in the exact same form of dry humour that spurs me on:) I do hope you are having a lovely holiday.

Thank you so much. I cannot believe how many of you are interested in my fic!

Also, **Thank you to my reviewers: **_BlueMyst19, kia, katiesparks, cariadiorarua, lightanddarklove, CharmedNightSkye, vladimir's disease _and _raven luvah., _for their invaluable constructive criticism and encouragement. I am sorry I made you wait! I know being busy isn't a terribly good excuse, but thanks for sticking with me:)

Finally, thank you to _Pterodactyl_, who has included me in my first ever C2 community! I cannot tell you how honoured and excited I am to be part of it.

Please do tell me how you found the chapter:)

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	8. Causatum

**Disclaimer:** I still do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 8**

Samantha Manson paced the vast area of her bedroom in disbelief as she recalled the events that had just taken place. Sam could not remember the last time she had felt so confused. She was infatuated with two boys who seemed to be polar opposites. The Goth had always hoped that it would be only a matter of time before she and Danny got together. With the intervention of Phantom, now she wasn't so sure.

Phantom was mysterious, self assured and oddly dashing due to his role as Amity Park's newest hero. The way he had just handled the pack of spectral wolves, as though the powerful ghosts were nothing more than an annoyance. If he had been showing off for her expense, Sam had to admit that she had been impressed. He was an _incredible _fighter.

She was afraid of the power he displayed, yet his esoteric charm drew her to him, not unlike an ignorant moth to the flame. Perhaps it would be best to quell her infatuation before she was truly burned. Seeking a relationship with Phantom would be more dangerous than playing with fire. But why did she feel that she could trust him completely? Her relationship with her enigmatic savior was nowhere near as longstanding as her friendship with Danny.

She ran a hand through her dark hair. Perhaps that was just the problem between her and Danny. They had known each other for so long that Sam was afraid of destroying the familiar balance of their friendship. With Phantom, she could act however she chose. He knew nothing about her.

Sam collapsed on her bed, frustrated and lost in the raging torrent of her own emotions. This was ridiculous. She didn't even know his real name! He had saved her twice, carried her home, and they had never even had a proper conversation.

And that fleeting _kiss on her balcony. _

She felt herself flush at the memory, running her fingertips over her bottom lip as she recalled perhaps the primary cause of her confusion. Her lips were still cherry red and swollen from his earlier ministrations, and most of her purple lipstick had been smudged off. Placing a cool hand on her suddenly burning forehead, Sam drew a shuddering breath.

She could not fight the overwhelming feeling of emptiness at his sudden departure, suddenly overcome by an irrational urge to see his lips curve into that smirk that she had formerly perceived as excessively cocky. She longed to hear his voice, to look into those unnaturally green eyes that contributed so much to his arcane beauty. Her body ached for his touch.

_Damn him_.

She hardly knew him, and already he had her wrapped around his little finger. She felt violated, that the one small, yet incredibly seductive kiss he stole had completely enraptured her, making her his without any apparent effort on his part. Her eyelids fluttered shut, as she attempted to banish all thoughts of the charismatic ghost hunter from her mind.

_However._ She could not help but wonder -- the kiss had been simple, even chaste in some respects, and he had kept his hands almost completely to himself. Yet, the sensations she had experienced were unlike anything she had ever felt before, the immense euphoria that coursed through her being, more powerful than any drug. If they were to actually go further...

Sam felt as though she would incinerate on the spot as she considered the possibilities. She buried her face into her pillow, aware of the flushing heat accumulating in her cheeks.

And then there was Danny. One of her best friends since preschool. His occasional fits of clumsiness were oddly endearing, compared to the grace and self-assuredness of Phantom. The problem was, Phantom was hot and he knew it, his cocky demeanor something Sam had initially found unattractive. Danny Fenton was sensitive, if a little clueless. He genuinely cared for her wellbeing. He was a _nice_ guy. Sam let a small smile touch her features. Danny was the only person who could merit the usage of such an offensively nondescript word. Although he did not flaunt his looks as Phantom did, his features were capable of matching the ghost hunter's in terms of attractiveness.

Sam could not help but wonder how serious the public defender was. Phantom probably hit on girls that he rescued all the time. Judging from his cocky demeanor, he had to be quite the player. After all, he had managed to charm Paulina. The beautiful Latina was completely infatuated with the mysterious ghost hunter, so much so that she had set up a mini shrine in her locker as a tribute to him.

She was not the only one. Dozens of other girls in Casper High were obsessed with him. If he was merely looking for another conquest, he had struck gold with Paulina. How was she to know he had not asked for similar _'payment'_ from the cheerleader when he had saved her from the dragon?

Sam frowned, playing with the oriental tassels on her pillow. She could be sure that her feelings were Danny were real, as opposed to the puppy love she felt for Phantom. Her desire for him was purely carnal, fueled by her fascination of the enigma that he was. As good a kisser as he was, Sam firmly told herself that some things were more important, such as the principle concept of trust.

However, Sam knew that however ordinary Danny might seem, there were things he was not telling her. According to the government, he didn't exist. There was no way an ordinary citizen would fail to be listed in the US Civilian Database.

He and Phantom were obviously somehow connected. Phantom's first appearance was merely days after Danny's arrival to Amity Park. Danny's guardian, Vlad Masters, was a leading expert in the field of parapsychology. Danny had once said that his foster father was affiliated with the Red Hunter. Question was, how were they linked? How involved was Danny with ghost hunting, if he was capable of contacting both Phantom and the Red Hunter?

Pushing her dark hair out of her face, Sam sighed. Between Gregor, Danny and _Phantom_, it seemed her relationships with the opposite sex would never be facile. She got up from her bed, grabbing a freshly laundered towel from her wardrobe. Despite the lateness of the hour, perhaps a hot shower was in order to calm her rampant emotions.

On the other side of the suburbs, Tucker Foley shook his head, disbelieving. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his decision to inform Sam about his discovery. Having Danny missed off the US Civilian Database, however improbable, was still possible. The fact that his file failed to be present on _any other lis_t Tucker cared to endeavor running a search on was another thing entirely.

According to the techno geek's infallible hacking skills, his friend had no residential status, no health records, _nothing_. But technological evidence was absolute. Tucker knew that his discovery was beyond the limits of human error. It was impossible for Danny's details to fail to be present on _all_ official government databases. In fact, it was almost as though the authorities were trying to conceal the existence of his friend.

Finally in desperation, the techno geek endeavored to look Danny up on the Nasty Burger Membership list. The trio had signed up together for Membership cards in their freshman year. While his and Sam's memberships were still in tact, he was not surprised to discover yet another database that their friend had been deleted from. Danny _loved_ the Nasty Burger. There was no way he would cancel his membership.

Tucker blinked to ease the smarting of his eyes from extensive hours of staring at the computer screen. He had not expected the search to take this long. The techno geek glanced at the clock beside his computer. It read 2.56 AM. He didn't bother suppressing a yawn. So much for getting any work done. Tucker had been researching Daniel Fenton for the past four and a half hours, and he had yet to find out a single thing about him apart from what he already knew. He took a huge gulp from the mug of coffee before him, and gaged. It was stone cold.

In a last ditch attempt, Tucker decided to try running a search through the Casper High Student Database. Lancer was far too conscientious to lose any student's details. With the amount of detentions Danny was receiving, the vice principal had to record his punishments _somewhere_. If this attempt failed, Sam's information could wait. He was going to bed.

The encryption surrounding the school's server was child's play to decipher, compared with the complexity of the government databases he had just succeeded hacking into. The techno geek could have laughed as he bypassed the school's pathetic security. He should have done this years ago.

_Found him_. Tucker's eyes widened, all traces of his previous tiredness immediately evaporating.

The techno geek scrolled through the document, narrowing his eyes to prevent himself missing any slight detail. Danny's records seemed congruent enough to be authentic. Danny Fenton, aged seventeen. He had been born in Amity Park, his parents were both deceased and he currently lived in Wisconsin as the adopted son and sole heir of multi billionaire Vlad Masters.

Tucker raised his eyebrows. Danny had failed to mention that he was the heir to such vast wealth. Could that be what he was hiding from them? Tucker shook his head. No. Danny's secrecy definitely involved Valerie. He was sure of it.

The techno geek continued checking the document for any inconsistencies. If this was forgery, it was _seamless_. Whoever had faked this file was _good_. He frowned, unable to find any flaw with Danny's records. He took another gulp of the coffee before him, no longer bothered about its unfavourable temperature. Caffeine was caffeine. And right now, he needed it.

As he drained the brown liquid from his mug, Tucker started. How could he have been so _stupid_? He berated himself, grateful to the mild drug for its caffeine induced inspiration.

All files included a creation date. If Danny's records had been forged, they would not include the same creation date as the rest of the students in their year who had joined Casper High as freshmen. The information _concerning_ the file could be changed, but the actual date was embedded in the document as a component of the record itself. However good the hacker, the fundamental purpose of a database file could not be completely changed.

Silently congratulating himself on his stroke of genius, Tucker proceeded to perform what he sincerely hoped would be the final decryption of the night. He was not surprised to discover that his hunch had been correct.

The file had been created a _month_ ago.

Danny had first started attending Casper high _three years_ ago, and Tucker knew for a fact that the school kept records of old students for at least five years after they had left the school. Finally an inconsistency in the seemingly flawless record.

Tucker took a mental step backwards to fully appreciate the significance of his discovery. Whatever Danny was hiding, it was _huge_. What had Sam gotten him into? And how was all this related to Valerie?

Tucker frowned. He was out of coffee. But that didn't matter. He was running on adrenaline now.

Following his hunch, he ran a similar search for Valerie Gray on the Casper High Student Database. If Valerie was also involved in this rapidly growing mystery, her details would have also been modified. Hadn't it been Valerie that had first run off when the dragon specter had attacked? Danny's disappearance had not occurred until the Red Hunter had arrived to challenge the ghost.

Although creation date had also been altered, Valerie's new records had not been recreated as recently. While Danny's were still very recent, Valerie's had been forged since the middle of freshman year. He swiftly traced the IP number of both documents. As he had suspected, the records had been written by the same person, or at least by the same organisation. Sometimes, his brilliance surprised even himself.

He proceeded to look the dark haired girl up on the US Civilian Database. To his annoyance, his search was void. He tried again, looking her up on any database he could think of, government or otherwise, but all to no avail. According to the records, Valerie Gray was as much of a phantom as Danny Fenton. The state claimed that the pair just didn't exist.

Tucker massaged his forehead in exhaustion as he tried to connect the dots. What possibly could the pair be involved in that merited their deletion from the US Civilian Database? He needed more pieces of the puzzle before he could even have an idea of what exactly he was trying to figure out. The problem was, how was he to search for more clues when he did not even know what sort of information to be looking out for?

_'Think, Tucker, think.' _He willed himself. This was important to Sam, and increasingly significant to himself as well. He was starting to get seriously worried about Danny and Valerie. What if their government involvement put the pair into danger? What if _Valerie_ got hurt?

He had never realised before yesterday, but Valerie wasn't actually half as mean as he had thought. She had been cold in the past, but now it seemed that she genuinely wanted to get along with him and Sam. Not to mention she had a hot figure. Maybe if he played his cards right... Despite the gravity of the situation, Tucker could not suppress a grin.

His eyes lit up as inspiration struck once again. Danny had said that Valerie was employed by his adopted father. Now it was time to find out if the Vlad Masters that had adopted Danny was the same as the _Mister Masters _the Red Hunter and her accomplice had mentioned. He cracked his knuckles before once again placing his hands back on the keyboard. Tucker Foley was on a roll.

By now, he was unsurprised when Vladimir Masters failed to show up on the US Civilian Database. But at least in the case of Vlad Masters, the reason was a valid one. How many multi billionaires were willing to risk their personal details being exploited by hackers around the world?

That still failed to explain the lack of information available on Daniel Fenton and Valerie Gray. What could a billionaire and two seventeen year old teenagers have in common that specified them for government obfuscation?

Tucker stretched, wincing as he felt his spine crack with stiffness. His essays could wait. He was just going to have to work himself to the ground over the rest weekend to finish them. Right now, looking into the unexpected coincidence was far more important. The techno geek rubbed a sour spot between his shoulder blades as he glanced once again at his clock. It now read 5.23 AM, its cheery fluorescent light an unkind comment on his tired eyes. Tucker sighed. It was going to be a long morning.

The rest of the weekend passed by in a relatively uneventful fashion, which Sam was not certain if she was relieved or disappointed by as Phantom made no further attempt to contact her. Perhaps her involvement with Phantom was a mistake that should never be repeated. He had probably forgotten all about her by now.

She was unsure as to whether she ought to tell Tucker about her unexpected kiss with the ghost hunter, but one thing was certain. Danny was never to find out, even if that made her just as secretive as he was. Especially since her kiss with Phantom made her feel as though she had betrayed him. As gorgeous as Phantom was, she still preferred Danny. Or so she hoped.

As much as she was attracted to Phantom, she highly doubted he had been thinking about her half as much as she had been of him. The kiss to him was probably just a source of amusement that he had initiated on a whim. Sam scowled, as she felt righteous anger flow through her. How could she not have realised before that he had just been toying with her?

"How was your weekend?" Danny asked, grinning as she passed him in the corridor, rupturing the slow rising of her fury.

"Uneventful." She shrugged. There was no point taking out her anger on Danny, although she silently wished she could be more honest with him. "How was yours?"

"_Great_." He quipped, withdrawing a heavy textbook from his locker. "Couldn't have been better."

"What happened?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It's got something to do with the uh- lawsuit." He replied, looking slightly flustered. "You're not going to find it that interesting."

"Yeah, I believe you." His friend said, as she leaned against a nearby locker. "What _really_ happened?"

"It's really not that big a deal." He insisted, not wanting to lie. He figured after that kiss his alias stole from her on Friday night, the least Sam deserved from him was some honesty. He already felt bad enough about the deception.

"What are you two talking about?" Tucker grinned, as he approached the pair outside one of the Chemistry labs.

"Nothing much." Danny replied, relieved to have escaped fabricating some ill conceived reason for his good mood.

What was he supposed to tell Sam? That he had kissed her as Phantom? Besides, she didn't look as though the impression Phantom had left on her a few nights ago had any lasting effects, Danny was disappointed to notice. While he had not expected her to become completely infatuated with his alias, he had expected _something_. She hadn't even told him about her encounter with Phantom. Had he been that bad a kisser?

Besides, what was he playing at? Asking her for a kiss? Sam probably thought Phantom was a huge jerk now. She knew absolutely nothing about him, and his alias allegedly knew nothing about her. At least she hadn't stopped him when he had kissed her. That had to count for something. Hopefully Phantom still had a chance with her, provided he could win over Sam before this mysterious other guy that she liked.

The shrill clangour of the morning bell once again snapped him out of his reverie.

"I'll see you guys in General Studies." He grinned, running to catch up with Valerie.

"Bye Danny." Sam smiled in return.

"Catch you later." Tucker yelled across the hall.

"Did you get my email?" The techno geek asked, immediately directing the conversation towards their enigmatic friend.

"Yeah." Sam replied. "Thanks for looking into it. I can't believe that Danny, Valerie _and_ Vlad Masters are hiding something that huge."

"Me either." Her friend said, frowning as the pair made their way to the empty classroom that they often frequented on their Monday morning frees. "So what are we going to do about it? We can't just tell Danny what we know."

"What _do_ we know?" Sam sighed. "Apart from the fact that Danny's actually heir to a billionaire's fortune and that he's hiding something from us."

"Not much." Tucker admitted. "But that's not going to stop us from trying."

"Do we really want to get involved?" Sam asked. "This is a _massive _cover up on the government's part."

Tucker blinked, taken aback by his best friend's change of heart. "What's wrong, Sam? You were so worried about Danny last Friday. Did you two get into a fight?" He asked, depositing himself haphazardly on a classroom chair.

"Not exactly." Sam winced as she followed suit, sitting herself down on a desk in the empty classroom. "But something happened on Friday night."

"What sort of something?" Tucker raised his eyebrows, and Sam could practically see the cogs turning in her friend's one track mind.

"Nothing happened between us." She denied, flushing as she remembered her kiss with Phantom. Why was she still thinking about him? That jerk probably couldn't even remember her name. She bit her lip, disgusted with herself as she attempted once again to banish all thoughts of the ghost hunter from her mind.

"I knew you two would get together." Her best friend grinned, incorrectly assuming the reason for her blush.

"I mean it." She insisted. "_Nothing_ happened between me and Danny. It was... someone else." She finished lamely.

"Who?" Her best friend demanded, genuinely surprised.

Sam looked away, flushing a deeper shade of scarlet. She had already told Tucker this much. As obnoxious as he could be, Sam trusted him completely. If she couldn't confide in him, who else could she talk to?

Tucker could see that he had made Sam uncomfortable, abandoning any jokes he was about to attempt at her expense.

"Phantom." She finally managed, her voice barely making a sound.

"Who?" Tucker asked, confusion evident on his features.

Sam shook her head, silently berating herself. How could Tucker have known the alias of the Red Hunter's accomplice?

"The Red Hunter's partner." She whispered. "Invisio-Bill."

For one of the few times in his life, Tucker was stunned into silence.

How had that happened? He had been almost certain that his two best friends were going to end up together, but not anymore. Sam obviously did not want to discuss the matter, let alone let anyone else find out. Sam hated attention. His best friend was obviously not yet ready to deal with the confusion regarding the ghost hunter.

"Please don't tell Danny." Sam winced.

"The thought didn't even cross my mind." He replied, and Sam was glad to realise that he was being completely honest. "Have you any idea how many girls in this town would kill to be you right now?" He added, grinning.

"I don't _want_ to know." She declared, groaning, and Tucker got the distinct impression that perhaps Sam knew that she was not the first girl that Phantom had picked up in the past week.

"We have to find out what's going on with Danny." He said, redirecting the conversation as Sam shot him a grateful look. "If he isn't even on the Nasty Burger membership list I checked, then something is very wrong."

"What do you have in mind?" Sam asked.

"The plan is simple." The techno geek replied, pausing dramatically for effect. "We raid his hotel room after school."

Danny was finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy Valerie's company when he still felt guilty about setting back his assignment by helping her capture the dragon specter. Perhaps he was a lot newer to the ghost hunting business than he liked to think. He had always thought that his alias' raw power made up for any lack of experience he had on the field, but maybe he was wrong. He had yet to learn the unspoken etiquette that transpired between ghost hunters on field operations, veteran or otherwise. No wonder Valerie had been annoyed by his presence. As much as he wanted to ask her what she thought about Phantom, he knew that Valerie was too smart to miss the hidden agenda behind even such a seemingly casual question. He sighed. His best friend knew him too well.

Another thing that was bothering him was what Valerie had said to their benefactor about the incident. Danny was certain that they had discussed the matter. The fact that his alias was Vlad's apprentice had never stopped the Red Hunter complaining about him in the past. While the Phantom's lax attitude towards procedure was a well known fact in their squadron, his best friend was the only one with enough guts to inform Vlad that she thought his apprentice's performance was not up to standard. He had initially thought the exchange between him and his partner after the capture of the dragon had been progressive, a step forward from her usual derogatory insults. But now, he wasn't so sure.

Danny sighed. It seemed that Phantom's relationships with girls, romantic or otherwise, left much to be desired.

As bad as he felt about keeping his identity secret from Valerie, the ghost hunter felt even worse about the way he had treated Sam on Friday night. Maybe Sam was right. He was a jerk. What kind of idiot went up to the girl he liked and demanded a kiss from her? Especially one as strong willed as Sam. He wouldn't be surprised if she refused to see his alias ever again.

_'It's just as well.'_ He thought bitterly. _'There's no way Sam can distract me from the mission if she hates me.'_

Over the weekend he had thought that the meeting between Sam and himself had gone well, but seeing Sam's reaction in school the week after had embedded the beginnings of doubt into his mind. Now, an hour later with nothing other than Mathematics to keep himself occupied, he was _certain_ he had screwed things up between Phantom and the Goth.

Sam hadn't said anything about the incident. The more he thought about it, the worse the situation seemed. If something was upsetting Sam, she was sure to point it out to the person immediately. The Goth was always expressive with her anger. Danny would have given anything to see her visibly furious, rather than the silent ire she seemed to feel towards Phantom. Perhaps Phantom should apologise to her after school.

"You okay?" Valerie asked, frowning at her best friend in concern.

"Huh?" Danny replied, shaking his head to clear it.

He glanced at the permutation exercises before him. Valerie had already completed hers, and he had barely started.

"Is something bothering you, Danny?" She queried, worry evident on her features. "You've been pretty quiet all morning."

"Kind of." He sighed, wondering how much he could confide in Valerie without revealing his secret. "I think I've screwed things up with Sam."

Valerie Gray raised an eyebrow. "Already? You've only been in Casper High for a couple of weeks."

"Very funny Val." Danny said dejectedly, causing his best friend's eyes to soften. She had not realised how upset he was.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I think I rushed things between us." Danny winced. "She might hate me now."

The Red Hunter allowed a slight smile to grace her features. Danny's sensitivity was definitely one of his strong points. She could definitely see why she used to like him. Most guys their age were cocky and too full of themselves, but not Danny. Her best friend always put the needs of others before himself. Even though he had declared that he would never follow in his parents' footsteps, Valerie could not help but feel that if Danny were to take up ghost hunting, Amity Park would be a much safer place.

"Do you honestly think Sam would have let you do something without her approval?" She laughed. "She would have hit you. Besides, when we were dating, your idea of moving too fast was holding hands before our third date."

"We were _fourteen._" He protested. "And I remember in our relationship it used to be you that was doing all the rushing." He added, grinning.

Valerie Gray stuck her tongue out at her best friend in an almost uncharacteristic display of childishness.

"I know for a fact that Sam likes you." She supplied. "I asked her myself."

"W-what?" Danny's eyes widened. "When?"

He definitely had not expected Sam to be attracted to his human half. After all, Phantom was superior to Danny Fenton in almost every way.

"But I thought--"

"You think too much." The ghost hunter interjected, smirking.

Even though she had always told herself that the Red Hunter worked alone, her recent capture of the level five ghost dragon with Phantom had proven to her that teamwork was not only for the weak and the incompetent. If Danny ever changed his mind and decided to follow in his parent's and benefactor's footsteps and become a ghost hunter, Valerie Gray was prepared to do whatever it took to help get him there. Her best friend would be the perfect partner for her.

"Do you think I still have a chance with Sam?" Danny asked, worry still evident on his features.

"Definitely." Valerie grinned, lightly punching her best friend on the arm when she noticed the goofy smile on his face. "You two were made for each other."

Danny could not help but feel a rush of affection for his best friend. Valerie always knew what to say to make him feel better.

"Since we're on the subject of relationships, I heard you gave Tucker the _Red Hunter's a_utograph." Danny said, smirking as he added emphasis on the ghost hunter's alias.

"It's not that big a deal." His best friend flushed. "Tucker's a nice guy. He deserved it."

"_I _never got an autograph." Danny said, and Valerie could not help but smile at the faux pout on his features.

"You never asked."

Danny cocked an eyebrow. "_Valerie Gray_ likes Tucker Foley."

"I don't." She denied, subjecting Danny with a half hearted glare.

"What's wrong with admitting you like him?" He asked. "Tucker's ecstatic to be on the Red Hunter's radar."

"Quit reading into it." The ghost hunter sighed exasperatedly, elbowing Danny. "All I had to do was scribble something on a piece of paper. Hardly a grand romantic gesture. Besides, he likes the _Red Hunter_. Not me." She emphasized.

"What's the difference between the two of you?" He smirked, posing to her the question that had been bothering him about his alias since the kiss with Sam.

"Absolutely nothing." Valerie declared. "But you're the only one that sees me that way."

Danny blinked, surprised by her answer as the revelation hit him. It was all simply a matter of perception.

Valerie Gray acted no different from the Red Hunter because she was unashamed of what she was, while he was more confident as Phantom because he believed his ghost half to be superior to Danny Fenton. His alias was a ghost hunting prodigy, rising through the ranks at record breaking speed, with a multitude of high level captures under his belt. Danny Fenton had been a fourteen year old social outcast.

But just because he was regarded as two different people by the government did not change who he was.

He only wished that he could have had Valerie's strength of character from the very beginning. Then perhaps the mess he had gotten himself into with Sam could have been avoided.

"You still there?" Valerie laughed, waving a hand in front of his face in response to his blank, pensive expression.

"Sorry." Danny apologised, biting his lower lip. "I was thinking about what you just said."

The ghost hunter grinned as she extended a perfectly manicured hand towards her best friend's messy hair, ruffling it playfully in a manner that reminded Danny of Vlad Masters.

"I can give you the exact same piece of advice I gave Sam." Valerie offered, and Danny brightened considerably. If Sam liked him enough to ask Valerie for advice, perhaps there was still hope.

"What's that?" Danny asked, the optimism evident in his expressive blue eyes enough to make Valerie laugh.

"Just be yourself." His best friend grinned, and Danny could not help but feel that there was more truth in Valerie's statement than she would ever know.

Although his loyalty was primarily to the government, not his former field leader, Ethan Freeman could not quell the rising feelings of guilt and doubt as Caleb Jones outlined his true intentions regarding Agent Phantom's recent assignment.

"Perhaps we are making a mistake, sending the boy to his death. Vlad Masters was a huge asset to us when he was in the field." Ethan Freeman cautiously admonished. "Phantom has been said to be even more prodigious than his successor."

"Daniel Fenton is a danger to the public!" Caleb Jones snarled. "He's merely a child and already his abilities rival those of Masters'. That boy is more lethal than a nuclear warhead."

"He is fiercely loyal to Vlad Masters. Surely he will be just as loyal to us."

The spymaster shook with ire, clenching his fists so tight that his knuckles appeared white. After almost a decade in the field, how could his _idiot_ deputy remain so ignorant?

Vlad Masters and his apprentice were abominations. It was imperative that they were destroyed. The pair were part ghost. Should they decide to throw in their lot with the rest of their kind, they would be unstoppable.

The mere thought of a pair of former agents betraying the state, with all the knowledge of government secrets at their fingertips was enough to send him into a fit of violent rage.

"We took a huge risk with Vlad Masters." The spymaster snarled. "If he had chosen to betray us, no technology we possessed could have stopped him."

"Surely you don't expect him to remain on our side after we kill his charge. He and the boy are close. If he finds out what we are planning, Vlad Masters will turn against us."

The spymaster's bloodless lips curved into a ruthless smirk.

"_Let him_. Masters has always been a disaster waiting to happen. An ally we kept close merely because we had no means of defeating him. But now, with the breakthroughs made by the Guys in White, we have finally found a means to destroy him."

**Author's Notes:** At long last, the plot is finally moving! I was surprised how many of you enjoyed the last chapter:) Thank you for all your lovely comments. They really do encourage me. I am very appreciative of the support all my amazing readers have shown me so far. Thank you!

If you have spotted any errors in the last two chapters, kindly do inform me. The wonderful _BlueMyst19_ is currently on holiday so I currently have no beta.

**Thanks to the lovely: **_CharmedNightSkye, raven luvah, Sasia93, yuuki, Black January, Koccinelle, eternalLament43, twilightgal, Pterodactyl, Zilleniose, vladimir's disease, wushu, soaring-bright-flame_ and _kia_ for their wonderful reviews and constructive criticism:)

Please do continue to tell me what you think:)

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	9. Intrigue

I am terribly, terribly sorry for the long wait, but work has caught up with me.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia **

**Chapter 9**

Sam stifled a yawn, running a hand through her freshly washed hair as she walked down the pavement leading out of her estate. She couldn't believe it was only Tuesday. Monday had felt like a whole week in itself. She and Tucker had been up late researching more information on Danny and Valerie, with hardly any degree of success. Curiosity was no longer an issue. The only thing spurring her on to discover Danny's secret was concern for her crush.

The Goth did not have a particularly high view of the government. For all she knew, Danny could have been used against his will, leading Sam back to her original question. Why would the government need _Danny Fenton_? What skills did her friend, or even Valerie Gray, possess that made them special?

She supposed she could see how Valerie Gray could be involved with the government. Few seventeen year olds were as adept in any form of martial art as Danny's best friend. Her age and delicate appearance gave her the advantage of constantly being underestimated, making her the ideal bodyguard. But while Valerie Gray was a ninth degree blackbelt, Danny Fenton was in every sense of the word, ordinary.

Sam frowned, frustrated with herself. She was missing something. It was nearly impossible to piece together a puzzle when the original image was unknown. What skills could Danny have acquired in the past three years that made him a prime candidate for government services? Whatever it was, she hoped that he would remain safe.

The Goth glanced at her watch. She had ample time to get to school.

Her parents had offered several times to arrange for her to be chauffeured to Amity High, but doing so would reveal her wealth to the rest of the school, a fact that Sam had tried to conceal since freshman year. They had also bought her a car, which she hardly ever used.

Sam had passed her driving test when she turned seventeen, but she didn't see why she should drive to school when she was perfectly capable of walking. It meant getting up early to arrive at school on time, but at least it helped her maintain her self-administered carbon quota. If the government refused to comply with the Kyoto Protocol, every individual was responsible for ensuring the embarrassingly high carbon emissions of the US were reduced.

She stopped, suddenly aware of a faint chill in the air, the beginnings of goose pimples forming on her pale skin. Was she being followed? And if she was, was her assailant ghost or human? She hastened her stride, hoping to lose her attacker, unable to dispel the uncomfortable prickling at the back of her neck.

Her quickened pace brought some relief, and Sam was beginning to wonder if it was lack of sleep that had caused her paranoia.

She jumped as a large, cold hand circled the circumference of her upper arm, refusing to appear intimidated as she suppressed the urge to scream.

"Come with me, girl." A malevolent voice snarled, dragging her towards him, and Sam was sure that she heard the metallic creaking of bolts coming from the direction of the ghost.

Sam nodded, attempting to appear docile and compliant as she attempted to figure out the location of her invisible assailant. She took two steps in his direction before lashing out, her foot connecting with something solid as she wrenched her arm from his grip.

The specter yelped, materialising in his surprise.

She spun, sprinting down the residential street as she searched for a means of escape from the hulking metal ghost pursuing her. Her only chance was to find a pathway that would lead back to her way to school. Hopefully then she would be able to conceal herself within a faceless crowd of students and commuters near the main road.

The Goth headed for a small turning at the end of the cul de sac, swearing under her breath as she heard the oscillating hum of the ghost's equipment just behind her as the specter gained in his pursuit. Her heavy combat boots skidded on the smooth pavement as she altered her course, narrowly avoiding a collision with several signposts on the deserted street.

She gasped for breath as she faltered, her muscles weary with fatigue as her leaden feet continued to pound on the rapidly lengthening stretch of road that seemed to go on forever. She pressed on, only to find herself faced with cold brick wall in a dead end. She was trapped.

Sam swore. She should have known better than to run blindly into an unfamiliar area. The ghost had obviously planned her capture. She drew a long breath, silently berating herself for her stupidity. She had gotten herself into the situation, and now she had to get herself out. Phantom wasn't around to protect her this time.

She spun on her heels, bracing herself for the worst as her pursuer casually approached her, assured that she had no means of escape.

"You were surprising amusing to hunt," The ghost smirked, spreading his lips in a feral grin. "for a human."

He flexed his fingers, and Sam was repulsed to hear the dull cracking of metallic knuckles.

She curled her fingers into twin fists, her black painted fingernails digging into the palm of her hands as she felt the raw adrenaline pumping through her body, readying her for escape. Her hunter was already so certain that he had won, that he was sure to let his guard down, especially since his target was just a human girl.

"What do you want with me?" Sam challenged, and she was glad to hear that her voice failed to waver, despite the threat of imminent danger before her.

The specter chuckled, a hollow, unpleasant sound that reverberated across the small alley.

"What makes you think that I have any interest in you, child." The ghost drawled. "It is merely your affiliation with a certain ghost hunter that concerns me."

Sam's eyes narrowed. So the reason she had been tracked down was because of Phantom. If he thought that she would freely divulge information, he was wrong. Not that she knew anything about the ghost hunter, she reasoned. She could easily count the total number of occasions on which she had spoken to him on one hand. She had definitely been underestimated. Sooner or later, she would make her bid to escape.

"Tell me everything you know about Phantom." He demanded, roughly shoving her against the alley wall when she made no move to respond to his query for information. She suppressed a cry as a jolt of pain shot up her spine, refusing to display any sign of weakness in front of the ghost.

"I know nothing about him." Sam stated, raising her chin in defiance as she stood her ground against the specter.

"Liar." The ghost's eyes narrowed. He rapidly extended an arm, pinning her to the wall by the neck in a death grip, causing Sam to gasp wildly for breath as he obstructed her air passage. "I have seen you with with the halfa twice in the last week. Has he confided in you his weaknesses?"

The Goth stopped struggling in his grip, lapsing into a rebellious silence as she attempted to glare down the specter, a task made difficult by the tears of pain welling up in her eyes that she fought to suppress. She would not betray what little information she knew about Phantom to a deranged ghost.

The specter's roar of frustration was reward in itself.

Although she could understand why the specter was convinced she was lying. If he had truly been observing Phantom for the last week, he would have seen Phantom kiss her, and would probably assume the pair were in a relationship. Sam pursed her lips in a grim expression. She should have known better than to kiss a complete stranger. What had that _jerk_ gotten her into? Never before had she been the victim of as many ghost attacks as she had been in the past two weeks.

"He is a fool to have chosen to ally himself with humans. A weak, transient species." He growled, tightening his grip around the Goth's neck for emphasis.

"What are the halfa's weaknesses?" He demanded again. "Do not defy me, little girl."

The ghost's eyebrows narrowed dangerously, and Sam could see that his patience was wearing thin as he refused to accept her ignorance.

"I don't even know what a halfa is." She hissed, clawing at the huge metal hand clamping around her lower jaw in a vice like grip. His hold was too strong for her to break.

The specter studied her, silently weighing and measuring his options with such an uncooperative captive, his cold glare shielded by her facade of indifference.

His towering form hunched over her as he bared his teeth in a feral snarl. She recoiled, revolted by the proximity of his face to hers. "If I were to hold you hostage, he is sure to come to your aid."

Sam met his gaze glare for glare, refusing to look away in what had ultimately resulted in a staring contest as his cold gaze bore through her vision.

She jumped as the ghost suddenly roared, startling her as he fell to his knees, nursing a blast wound on an injured shoulder. The sour, acrid smell of corroded metal filled the air where his attacker's blast had damaged his armor.

"Back again, Skulker?" The Red Hunter mocked, her ecto-blaster smoking. "I would have thought you'd be sick of getting beaten by now."

The Phantom materialised next to her, twin rays of ecto-blasts charging at his fists, and Sam could not deny that she was glad to see him. "Get away from her." He growled, his eyes flickering green with ectoplasmic energy.

The ghost known as Skulker surveyed the appearance of Phantom with interest, seemingly oblivious to the ghost hunter's protective rage.

"Now that you have appeared, I have no further interest in your little girlfriend." The specter waved a hand at Sam in dismissal.

He did not, however, step away from Sam. The ghost was not stupid, Danny realised, even through his fury. He knew that he could not take both Phantom and the Red Hunter. The moment he left Sam's side, he would be open to both ghost hunter's line of fire. By using Sam as a shield, he had ensured the engagement would be limited to hand to hand combat in the enclosed space of the alley, raising the odds in his favour.

"I have heard much about you, ghost child." The hunter drawled circling Phantom menacingly. "You have gained quite the reputation as a hunter."

"I'd like to say the same for you," The ghost hunter replied, his voice inundated with satire. "but unfortunately I can't."

The ghost chuckled, brushing away the insult as he cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Mock me all you want, halfa. Your insults will not save you from capture."

The Red Hunter snorted, favouring her partner with a significant look as she noted the wild flickering of his green eyes. "He's all yours." She said, crossing her arms.

Phantom responded by grimly adjusting his gloves.

"Given your reputation, you are slighter than I had anticipated." The ghost studied his prey, smirking in satisfaction. "Although the fact that you are unique more than makes up for it."

"Unique?" Phantom repeated. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of the other like me." The ghost hunter mocked, cocking an eyebrow. "You're probably terrified of the very thought of having to cross him in battle."

"The reputation of Vlad Plasmius precedes him." Skulker admitted grudgingly. "But no matter. I shall have you, a worthy centerpiece in my collection."

"And if I refuse?" Danny challenged, knowing anger would get him nowhere. Sam could get injured in the crossfire if he were to rely purely on brute force. "What makes you think I'll be any easier to capture than Vlad?"

"Do you know who I am, boy?" The hunter smirked.

"Skulker. Specter ID C8640-468Q. Collector of all paranormal entities rare. The self proclaimed '_Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter_'." Phantom recited, as though quoting from a database.

"Uses ectoplasmic weaponry to enhance his limited abilities. A moderate threat." He finished, eyeing the ghost with amusement. The Red Hunter stifled a laugh.

"_Moderate?_" The specter roared. "I am the most powerful ghost you shall ever meet, you pathetic halfa. You will pay dearly for your insolence." He snarled, activating the ecto-blasters attached to his battle suit.

By the time Skulker had fired two shots towards his direction, Phantom had disappeared, materialising in the air above Sam.

"I have changed my mind." Skulker growled, rising after Phantom. "Your insolence shall be your destruction. I shall rest your pelt at the foot of my bed!"

Sam raised her eyebrows, impressed by the simple brilliance of Phantom's plan. By mocking Skulker, Phantom had managed to goad the specter into shooting at him and leaving her side, taking the fight to the air where she was out of danger.

She looked up, observing as the ghost fired wildly at Phantom, who evaded the blasts with ease.

"I've never seen Phantom angry before." The Red Hunter acknowledged, as the pair regarded the aerial battle taking place above them. From the manner in which she said it, Sam could tell that underneath the ghost hunter's mask, she was grinning. "This is going to be good."

Phantom, satisfied that they were far enough from the his partner and Sam, extended his hand towards the paranormal hunter, familiar green energy surrounding his palm as he channeled every ounce of his righteous fury at Skulker. He could physically sense the cackling energy leaving his form, bombarding the ghost's armor with the ectoplasmic energy conceived from his anger, immobilising the specter in the air.

The ghost, sensing disaster, attempted to escape the Phantom's hold over him, his struggling only succeeding in heightening Danny's rage.

Skulker had _threatened Sam. _That in itself was inexcusable. He had never meant for his involvement with her to put her in any danger. It was a mistake he would never make again.

He abruptly clenched his fist, and the ghost's armor exploded with a resounding blast so strong that the entire battle suit disintegrated, seemingly ceasing to exist from the raw power it was subjected to. The Goth squinted in response to the bright light, envious of the Red Hunter's visor that protected her eyes.

The smallest ghost Sam had ever seen fell to the ground, whimpering in pain. She was surprised to realise that the specter had survived the blast, given its size. Ghosts certainly were difficult to destroy. It struggled to its feet, casting wary looks towards Phantom's direction as it contemplated escape.

"You have not seen the last of me, child." The diminutive ghost snarled, knowing it had been outmatched.

"New power?" The Red Hunter asked, curiosity evident as she handed him her thermos.

"No." The Phantom shook his head in reply. "I'd just never used so much of it before." He activated the containment function with practiced ease, capturing the ghost in a bright vortex of light.

His partner nodded in response, a thoughtful expression on her features.

He turned to Sam, his concern evident. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She replied, massaging her tender jaw.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "That bastard pretty rough with you."

"I'm _fine_." She insisted, resisting his attempts to support her.

"Stop worrying, Phantom." The Red Hunter laughed. "She said she's fine."

He backed off and folded his arms as Sam helped herself to her feet.

"You don't do very much on the job, do you Red?" He teased, changing the subject in an attempt to include Sam in their conversation.

"You offered to patrol with me." The Red Hunter berated, folding her arms. "It's hardly my fault that you chose to lose your temper like an over possessive boyfriend." She deftly caught the thermos he tossed in her direction, attaching it to her utility belt.

The Phantom rolled his eyes, and Sam could have sworn she heard a raspberry being blown under his partner's helmet. She never would have thought the pair of ghost hunters were this immature.

The Red Hunter swore as she checked the time on her communicator. "I'm going to be late if I don't get going soon."

"I'll see you later." The Phantom said, grinning. "I'll escort this one in case she gets into any more trouble." He added, gesturing towards Sam.

Sam crossed her arms, indignant. She was about to retort in response when the Red Hunter noticed the acrimonious expression on her face, and laughed.

"He's insufferable, isn't he?"

Sam nodded in response, faux sullenness on her features. "Tell me about it."

"I just can't win, can I?" The Phantom held up his hands in mock surrender. "Although most people would call it chivalry."

"Maybe if you stopped being so cocky, you wouldn't have to." His partner absently jibed in return, keying in a security code to lock the thermos.

"Cut me some slack, Red." He protested. "I'm just trying to be nice."

Sam failed to suppress her derisive snort, causing the Phantom to favour both girls with an indignant look in objection. He was ignored on both counts.

"When have you ever been _nice_, Phantom?" The Red Hunter challenged, planting a fist on her hips.

Her partner pouted, feigning hurt, and Valerie was astonished at how the widening of his magnetic green eyes distinctly reminded her of the familiar puppy dog expression Danny would inflict on her whenever she teased him, or when he wanted to get his way. Who would have thought her jerk of a partner would ever succumb to using such a pathetic gesture to make her feel guilty.

She was glad for the presence of her helmet which masked her surprise. The last thing she needed was to be caught staring at Phantom, although she could not consider the sudden widening of his bright green eyes unfamiliar in any manner. With the extent of his ego, he would probably assume that she was into him, and would never let her live it down. As irrefutably gorgeous as her partner was, Valerie Gray had her eye on someone else.

Danny must have told him about her soft spot for cute guys with forlorn expressions. It sucked that the Phantom had found a way to escape her insults, although it would do the ghost hunter good to hang around her friend. Maybe Danny could help deflate her partner's ridiculous ego. Also, perhaps Phantom would encourage Danny to stand up for himself. The boy was too nice for his own good. The number of times she had rescued him from Dash Baxter in the past few weeks was getting ridiculous.

The Red Hunter sighed, giving in. She took no heed to her partner's protests as she roughly tousled his shocking white hair in an almost affectionate gesture.

"I'll see you around, pretty boy." She teased, as she mounted her jet sled, ascending over their heads. "Unlike you, some of us actually have commitments other than ghost hunting."

The ghost hunter laughed as he ran a gloved hand through his messy hair. "Catch you later Red!" He yelled after her disappearing figure.

Sam felt the beginnings of a rush of jealousy bubbling in the pit of her stomach at the recent companionable exchange between the ghost hunters. How could she hope to compete with someone like the Red Hunter? She could not deny that she wished she could talk to Phantom as easily as the Red Hunter, envious of how comfortable the pair were with each other. Conversation between the pair seemed so natural, and the pair had probably saved each other's lives on numerous occasions, resulting in their explicit trust in the other both in and out of battle.

She frowned, disgusted with herself. First she had been jealous of Valerie, when she had thought her friend had been in a non existent relationship with Danny, and now she was jealous of the Red Hunter, just because she seemed close to _Phantom_, a player that she had previously decided was not worth her time.

She looked away from the Red Hunter's retreating figure, only to have her line of vision interrupted by the Phantom's now familiar jawline. Her eyes flickered, redirecting her gaze towards his disorienting green eyes.

"Uh, hey." He greeted, rubbing the back of his neck, and Sam was made aware how painfully awkward the situation seemed.

"Hi." She replied, flushing as she willed the earth below her to cave in and engulf her so she could escape further embarrassment. Or better yet, a ghost attack that he had to leave to attend to.

Somehow, the several feet that separated them did not seem enough, and Sam could not suppress the urge to turn and run away before she did something she truly regretted. She wasn't used to people like him, separate from the rest of society. To him, the kiss they had shared on her balcony might have been complete normalcy, but Sam was unaccustomed to making out with total strangers.

Why hadn't the Phantom left as well? Sam had a sinking feeling that he was about to try and extract the second half of his '_payment' _from her. More disconcertingly, Sam wasn't sure if she would refuse it from him. As much as she tried to deny it, she could not quell the abrupt, fierce longing to close the distance between them, to pick up where they had left off the previous weekend. The quicksilver transition of her emotions surprised even herself, when just a moment ago she had hoped never to see him again as long as she lived.

She forced her eyes for the nth time in minutes to avert their gaze from his lips, willing to think of something vaguely diplomatic to say to salvage the rapidly fraying situation.

Phantom simply was not healthy for her sanity.

The ghost hunter, on the other hand, seemed to be feeling absolutely none of the discomfort she had subjected herself to. He casually leaned himself against the wall behind him, once again running a gloved hand through his messy white hair.

"Did you miss me?" He grinned, cocking an eyebrow and Sam was unsure whether the feeling in the pit of her stomach was that of anticipation for his touch or wariness in case he did try anything.

"In your dreams." She retorted, folding her arms, on guard against any advances Phantom might decide to pull.

To Sam's complete surprise, the ghost hunter took a step back, eying her in an almost guilty manner, the serious expression on his face reminding Sam of the look he had given her when preparing for combat with the spectral wolves.

"Look, about Friday night." He started. "That was completely inappropriate and I should have known better than to mess around with civilians."

Sam realised that she was staring and promptly closed her gaping mouth. Had the Phantom just _apologised_ to her?

"Is that an apology?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." He replied, looking her straight in the eyes, and Sam felt her respect for him grow. At least he wasn't a coward. She was surprised to discover that his eyes looked a different shade of green in the daylight, contrasting strongly with the rest of his striking features.

Sam was suddenly aware of every sinew in his hardened physique that she had failed to notice in the faint moonlight of their last encounter. She flushed, looking away as she berated herself for inappropriate thoughts forming in her mind. He was apologising for making out with her, and there she was, ogling him. She had absolutely no sense of propriety. She pushed her hair out of her face. What was wrong with her?

The Phantom took her aversion to make eye contact with him as a rejection of his apology.

"You don't have to forgive me." He clarified. "I just thought I'd tell you that I'm sorry. I was way out of line."

He turned to leave. And although Sam knew it would be best to leave things that way, she could not help but call after him.

"Did you really think," She began, smirking as she folded her arms. "that you would have gotten away with kissing me if I hadn't consented?"

"Red said the same thing." He conceded, facing her. "But I wasn't sure."

"She was right." Sam replied, planting a fist on her hips. "You should listen to her more."

"I try." The Phantom grinned.

"Obviously not hard enough." She retorted. "You two seem close."

"Red's a friend." He elucidated shortly. "She doesn't think of me as anything else."

"So you and the Red Hunter," She began, unsure as to how to phrase her awkward query, but encouraged by the female ghost hunter's lack of interest in Phantom. "you were never..."

"Yeah." Phantom replied, almost apologetically, and Sam was taken aback by how uncomfortable he seemed. "We were."

"Oh. Right." Sam flushed, as she realised the implications of her question. What business had she inquiring into his social life? He probably thought she was some stupid fan girl like Paulina. It wasn't like she was looking for a relationship with him.

"That ghost called you a halfa." Sam asked, redirecting the conversation. "What does it mean?"

"No idea." Danny replied, feigning ignorance.

Sam nodded. Although she was certain he was concealing the truth from her, in light of her recent embarrassment, she thought it wise not to pursue the matter. After all, she was hardly interested in Phantom's secrets. But perhaps the ghost hunter could help unravel the mystery surrounding her other crush.

"Do you know someone called Danny Fenton?" She chanced.

The Phantom shrugged, adjusting his gloves. "I've heard of him."

"What do you mean, you've heard of him?" Her eyes narrowed. "Is he in the business?"

"What business?" He asked, confused.

"Is Danny a ghost hunter?" She clarified bluntly.

The white haired boy blinked, unable to mask his surprise. "What makes you think _Danny Fenton_ is capable of ghost hunting?"

"You know nothing about Danny." The Goth parried, folding her arms. "His parents were both ghost hunters. Without that suit of yours he is probably just as adept at capturing ghosts as you are."

He laughed, and Sam was perturbed to find that there was no malice in the gesture, as his eyes conveyed a positive, yet unreadable expression that she immediately realised was genuine. "Do you really think so?"

"Yeah, I do." She raised her chin in defiance. "In fact, the technology in that suit of yours should not be constrained to such elitist use." She protested. "Think how much the quality of human life would be improved if your suit's blueprints were shared with the rest of the world."

The Phantom ran a gloved hand through his shocking white hair. "No comment."

"At least try to speak to your superior. _Mister Masters_, isn't it?" She pressed on.

"How did you get that name?" The ghost hunter asked, and Sam could see that he was seriously taken aback.

"Danny told me." She replied, raising an eyebrow.

She found herself unexpectedly relishing gaining the upper hand against Phantom, especially after their unexpected kiss on the balcony where he had managed to rob every ounce of verbal finesse from her being. Even then he had been self assured, even to the extent of arrogance.

Seeing him surprised at how much she knew filled Sam with a delicious, intoxicating sense of power. Although she hadn't quite instilled the same degree of speechlessness on him, it was retribution enough for her own embarrassing bewilderment the weekend before.

"Of course he did." Phantom sighed, running a hand through his snow white hair. "It was too much to ask that you wouldn't connect the dots."

"Did you think I was stupid?" She challenged, raising her eyebrows.

"Sam." He said, raising his palms in a condescending manner to avoid aggravating her again. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about it."

She crossed her arms, unconvinced, although silently impressed that he had remembered her name. Perhaps he wasn't half as bad as she had thought. "And why not?"

"This _technology_ is a result of an accident." He explained. "We can't recreate the conditions required. And even if we could, I doubt there's anyone in the world that is willing to go through what I did to get there."

"What does that mean?" She questioned, uncertainty evident in her voice.

"It can't be taken off." He stated simply, and Sam was curious to realise that there was no bitterness in his statement.

"Oh, god. It's not surgically grafted to your skin is it?" Sam asked in concern, raising a hand to her lips.

"Kind of." He replied, shrugging.

"So you're stuck like this for the rest of your life?" She demanded, horrified. "How could you let them do this to you?"

He shrugged again, his jaw set in a familiar expression of determination Sam could have sworn she had seen somewhere else before. "Like I said, it was an accident. There's no one to blame."

Sam felt a surging rush of affection towards the ghost hunter at his plight. Perhaps he wasn't as much of a jerk as she had originally thought.

It was then she noticed an uncanny resemblance between Phantom and Danny. The contours of their nose and jaw were almost identical, drawing her attention to their unnaturally coloured eyes. Even the way their messy hair fell over their face was scarily similar. Apart from the differences in hair and eye colour and demeanor, they could have been twins.

"Doesn't it bother you?" She asked, stepping towards him, until there was barely a foot between them. She grasped his gloved hand with hers in a comforting gesture, ignoring the pleasurable tingling up her spine at even the slightest contact between them. She silently wished her bare skin could graze his own, instead of the smooth hazmat of his stealth suit.

He smiled to convince her, making no effort to release his hand from her grasp. "It used to, but not anymore."

"Is the suit powered by your emotions?" She asked. "When you got really angry just now, your eyes started flickering."

He shrugged once again in reply, slightly embarrassed of how protective he was of her.

"How about the Red Hunter?" She queried in concern. "Can she take her suit off?"

"Yeah." He enunciated, his lips curving into a smirk. "Hers definitely comes off."

Sam blinked in surprise, taken aback by his abruptly lascivious insinuation, well aware that the Phantom had intentionally drawn the conversation away from matters concerning ghost hunting. Even so, she retaliated by roughly punching him on the arm.

"That was a _joke_." He protested, rubbing his sore shoulder.

"You've got a crap sense of humour." She glared, unable to quell her once again rising feelings of jealousy towards the Red Hunter.

The female ghost hunter was smart, attractive, and deadly, not to mention ample in certain assets Sam herself unfortunately lacked. Even though the Red Hunter and Phantom were not currently in a relationship, the pair were undoubtedly close, evident from the amount of banter that was exchanged between the two. If Phantom had been attracted to his partner in the past, there was no way that the ghost hunter could be genuinely interested in her. She and the Red Hunter were polar opposites.

"You're _jealous_." He teased, kicking up an eyebrow.

"I'm not." She denied fervently, cursing her pale complexion for betraying her blush.

What was wrong with her? Hadn't she decided to forget about Phantom and pursue a relationship with Danny? There was nothing that Phantom had that Danny didn't, apart from a ridiculously large ego.

Why couldn't she just make up her mind? Sam prided herself above the idle capriciousness of other girls such as Paulina. The choice was simple. Phantom was a jerk, Danny wasn't. With Danny, she could hope for a relationship that would last more than a week.

The Phantom smirked in reply, but did not contradict her denial.

"You're going to be be late for school at this rate." He quipped, changing the subject.

"Who's fault is that?" She glared, rubbing her bruised back.

Without waiting for her consent, he once again scooped her into his arms, teleporting them to the crowded driveway outside the school, two feet away from Lancer who was exiting his car.

Sam started, surprised that no one in the busy driveway seemed to have noticed their abrupt materialisation. She glanced at Phantom in confusion as the vice principal walked right past them.

"They can't see us." He whispered in her ear, the tickle of his cold breath sending pleasant shivers down her spine. "Do you need me to take you in the school?" He asked, levitating to a discrete corner where they could materialise.

"I'll be fine." She insisted, releasing herself from his increasingly familiar grip. "I'm already late."

"We'll talk some other time, then." He grinned, disappearing in a bright flash of light just as the late bell rung.

She groaned in annoyance, dashing towards the entrance of the school, nearly colliding with another latecomer.

"Hey Sam!" A flustered Valerie Grey greeted, sprinting through the now empty driveway.

The pair entered their registration classroom, ignoring the disapproving glare of Lancer and the raised eyebrows of amusement from their peers. Tucker caught her eye and grinned.

"Ghost attack." Valerie lied fluently, slumping onto her seat.

Their tutor favoured them with a small nod, accepting their excuse.

Sam followed suit, glad for the opportunity to catch her breath. She glanced at Danny's empty seat.

"Where's Danny?" She mouthed silently at Tucker. He shrugged in reply. She was amused to discover that the Red Hunter's autograph was now the wallpaper for his PDA. Sam shook her head at him, incredulous as Tucker subjected her to one of the most stupid grins she had ever seen from him her entire life.

Valerie too, noticed her best friend's absence. "Have you two seen Danny?" She asked, leaning across his empty desk. She noticed the background on Tucker's PDA, and flushed.

"That's your wallpaper?" She asked, disbelieving. Tucker nodded, the grin still plastered on his face.

"I can't decide if that's sweet or pathetic." She stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Pathetic?" The techno geek repeated in mock indignance, drawing himself up to his full height. "How could I, Tucker Foley, ever be pathetic?"

"Easily." Valerie smirked.

Sam frowned, leaving the pair to bicker. Could Danny's absence have something to do with his secret? She pushed her dark hair out of her face, dismissing the idea. If it did, Valerie would know where Danny was. Unless her query regarding his whereabouts was also part of their deceit. How deep did the deception run? And how was all of this linked with his and Valerie's government involvement? Somehow, despite the evidence, Sam still could not see Danny working for the government in any way.

And what had Phantom meant, saying they would talk some other time? Did he mean to see her again? If the ghost hunter had decided to pursue a relationship with her, it was going to make Sam's love life a lot more complicated than it already was. Why did both of her crushes always insist on leaving her so uncertain about everything?

She was just about to pack up, readying herself for their first lesson of the day when Danny burst into the classroom, out of breath. "Sorry I'm late." He gasped.

"Mister Fenton." Lancer enunciated through gritted teeth. "Kindly explain how you've managed to render yourself so absurdly late."

"I-uh, ghost attack?" He chanced, grinning sheepishly.

The vice principal shook his head in disapproval, but accepted Danny's apology. If the school was not short on money, he would have long since invested in a lie detector to put an end to such ridiculous excuses.

"I'll let you off this time." Lancer said, favouring the agent with a dirty look as he sunk into his seat apologetically, somehow managing to trip over an adjacent chair in the process.

Sam shook her head, laughing as she caught his eye. Danny Fenton was definitely not government material.

**Author's Notes:** First of all, I would like to apologise for the huge amount of time I left my dear readers hanging. Although I am incredibly busy with school at the moment, it was no excuse to fail to update for almost a month. I am truly sorry I made you wait, and I hope I haven't put any of you off!

I will say no more, apart from the fact that the next few chapters will definitely hold some unexpected surprises;)

**Many thanks to my wonderful reviewers: **

_BlueMyst19__, YellowQueen, vladimir's disease, __cariadiorarua__, SoulcatSpirit, __vlad snuffles, __Wushu__katiesparks__, raven luvah, __Koccinelle__, kia, __Pieling, __CharmedNightSkye _and _Black January_ for their lovely, encouraging words of support. I truly do appreciate hearing what you think!

**I also would like to take this opportunity to thank all the lovely people that have favourited me: **

_bloodrainanitta, Black January, BlueMyst19, ChibiSamisala, KILLERGRIM23, Kuro Tori, Lessien Sharpwind, Pterodactyl, Purple Mystic, Sam Fenton, Sasia93, Straying Life, Yuleen75, Zilleniose, blindyourears, lightanddarklove, phantom-willow217, __sapphiestar, __soaring-bright-flame, __twilightgal, __vlad snuffles, __Angel Baby1, __CharmedNightSkye, __Ember518, __Joan, __Laughing Hyena, __Morgruth, __Nanyxa, __RyuuMahou, __Wushu, __rmedinap24192, __whirlgirl, __lunerfox, __irksome one, __hydraling110, __hotnspicey, __eternalLament43, __Evil Long Penname Having Individual End__Jessica01, __Henshi-anichan, __Ketsurui, Shuuraj, __Maffeoel _and _Summers Rage._ I am honoured that you have displayed such interest in Metanoia!:)

Lastly, I would like to thank the wonderful _BlueMyst19_ for being my beta. I don't know what I'd do without you to calm me down.

Thank you for reading, and I do hope that I have entertained you in some way or another! Kindly do read and review.

**Hugs and kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	10. Intuition

**Disclaimer: **To quote _twilightgal_, I do not own Danny, the "sexy delicious complete idiot";)

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 10**

"Where have you really been?" Valerie Gray asked her best friend, the moment they were out of Lancer's line of vision.

"You just overslept again, didn't you?" Tucker grinned, interjecting before Danny could reply.

"Uh, yeah. Kind of." Danny rubbed the back of his neck, visibly relieved. He couldn't believe that Lancer had let him off without a detention.

He grimaced, stopping to massage his shin where he had tripped over Dash's chair. He had never been this clumsy for years. Amity High seemed to be reawakening old habits and demeanors that he thought he had left behind for good, especially after being subjected to Vlad's constant cognitive drilling to always be aware of his surroundings at all times.

Owing to his abnormally rapid healing abilities, the bruise itself would be gone by lunch, but Danny could not fight the sinking feeling that spending so much time in a normal, safe environment without having to exert himself daily was making him complacent. Perhaps his benefactor was not merely being strict when he insisted Danny continued to upkeep his training.

"You okay?" Valerie laughed, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Yeah." Danny grinned sheepishly in reply. "I'm fine."

Sam laughed and shook her head, and Danny was glad to see that the ghost attack had not fazed her at all.

Danny silently observed the Goth before him, subtly checking her lithe form for injury. He curled his hands into fists, enraged to notice the beginnings of a faint purple bruise forming at the base of her jawline where Skulker had threatened to strangle her.

But apart from that single injury, there was no other visible evidence that she had been attacked. She still carried herself with the same dignified demeanor that she always did, and if Danny had not just witnessed her being attacked, he never would have guessed she had just fallen victim to one of Skulker's interrogations.

He turned his gaze to Valerie, inspecting his best friend for injury, although less intensely than he had surveyed Sam. The Red Hunter didn't need looking after.

"What about you two?" Tucker asked, redirecting the conversation towards the girls. "Were you really attacked?"

"I was." Sam grimaced, barely stopping herself from massaging her tender jaw in response.

Her best friend's eyes widened in concern. "What happened?"

The Goth shrugged, unable to explain the true reason for the attack in the presence of Danny and Valerie, who were unaware of her _acquaintance_ with Phantom. "Invisio-Bill and the Red Hunter saved me."

"Seriously?" Tucker demanded, disbelief evident on his features. "Did they talk to you?"

"A little." Sam replied noncommittally.

"What was the Red Hunter like?" The techno geek pressed. "Tell me everything."

"We didn't talk for that long." Sam rolled her eyes, exasperated. "She just stuck around long enough to make a few passing comments."

"What did they say to you?" Danny queried, confused by Sam's dismissive attitude towards his alias.

"Is she single?" Tucker interrogated, butting in, the fervor of his query surprising Valerie.

"No idea." Sam conceded. "But I know for a fact she's not going out with Invisio-Bill."

"Yes!" Tucker punched the air in some manner of ill conceived victory dance, raising a laugh from Danny and strange looks from several of his peers in the hallway.

"You're pathetic." Valerie Gray snorted, shaking her head.

Tucker opened his mouth, about to retaliate with what would have been an undoubtedly witty reply, when his best friend interjected.

"We're still going to your hotel room this afternoon, aren't we?" Sam asked, determined to uncover the true reason for his secrecy that afternoon.

"Uh, yeah." Danny replied, surprised that Sam had remembered.

He had been bemused to say the least when his friends had suddenly requested to see his living quarters. The trio usually hung out in Sam's house after school, due to its large size. Their newfound interest in his hotel room was strange to say the least. If anyone else had asked to see his room, Danny would have been suspicious about their true motives. But Sam and Tucker were two of his best friends, and they knew nothing about his or Valerie's government involvement.

Thankfully, he had hidden all incriminating weapons, training equipment and containment devices in the wall of his suite recently to allow room service to tidy it up, or so he hoped. Even with intangibility, he didn't trust himself not to forget to conceal all his equipment.

"Great." Tucker grinned as they parted ways. "See you after school."

Valerie laughed. She waved after them as they doubled back towards their registration classroom after retrieving their books. "Your friends are cute."

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it's not just Tucker you're referring to?"

"Idiot." The ghost hunter retaliated by shoving him hard on the arm. "I was just saying that I wish we had been friends in freshman year." Her expression softened. "Everything could have been so different."

"Yeah." Danny sighed. "It could have."

"I went patrolling with Phantom this morning." Valerie informed, grinning.

"So I gathered from Sam." Danny replied. "I thought you two didn't get along."

"We do now." His best friend shrugged. "He's less of a dick than he used to be."

"Maybe all you needed to do was give him a chance." Vlad's protégé suggested.

"Maybe," the ghost hunter mused, as they seated themselves at their desks, oblivious to the disapproving look Lancer cast in their direction for their once again tardy arrival.

Danny grinned at his best friend as he took his seat. He was glad that Phantom's relationship with the Red Hunter seemed to be steadily improving, with their newfound banter replacing the heavy insults he used to be subjected to during missions.

He was grateful that Valerie had chosen to re-examine her opinions on his alter ego. It felt as though Phantom and the Red Hunter finally understood each other.

Hopefully, he would soon be able to reveal Phantom's identity to his best friend. No one deserved to know more than Valerie. His trust in her was absolute. Phantom would place his life in Valerie Gray's hands. It was time the Red Hunter realised that she could do the same with Danny Fenton, despite how weak and pathetic she perceived him to be.

Danny winced as the shrill squeaking of Lancer's board marker against the white board interrupted his line of thought. The agent glanced up to the front of the classroom, and was surprised to notice that he vaguely recognised the majority of the mathematical operators the vice principal had scrawled on the board. Perhaps he was finally catching up with the schoolwork he had missed when he had left school during freshman year.

The ghost hunter sighed as the leaden atmosphere of boredom in the classroom slowly permeated his being, his previously optimistic attitude replaced by one of dull tedium. He fumbled through the textbook exercises Lancer had assigned, berating himself for not paying more attention during the previous lesson. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing.

Danny had never been bored in Wisconsin Castle. Vlad always had something for him to do, whether it was a field mission for Phantom, a new training regime, or merely a tutoring session on cryptology. After three years of being out of the education system and working on field missions, the sheltered world of school life seemed surreal, even pointless. Casper High was hardly an accurate microcosm of the real world.

With nothing remotely interesting to occupy his attention, he found his thoughts returning for the nth time in days to Samantha Manson. In his brief encounter with Sam, she had once again managed to throw him off completely. He had been under the impression that his exchange with Sam as Phantom had gone well, since she had accepted his apology. Now, he wasn't so sure.

What he could not understand was her refusal to discuss Phantom in front of him. While he known all along that a relationship between them would never work, he had hoped that Sam would reciprocate his feelings. Obviously that was not the case. Maybe Sam had told Tucker about the kiss, and for some reason had decided to hide her involvement with Phantom from him.

Perhaps she thought that he would be jealous of Phantom, and did not want to hurt his feelings. Danny frowned, spinning the pen between his fingertips with practiced ease. But he had never given her the slightest indication whatsoever that Danny _Fenton _was interested in her.

Danny still couldn't believe that he had kissed Sam as Phantom, when he had known all along that pursuing a relationship with her would be a huge encumbrance to the mission, especially since Vlad's allowance of a week's rest to save him from suspension was almost up.

Why had he told her that Phantom would see her later? It had been beyond stupid on his part. He had intended to apologise to her, and leave it matters as they were. Vlad would be livid if he ever found out.

The ghost hunter frowned, surprised that he genuinely wanted to see her again as Phantom. What excuse would he be able to fabricate to justify seeing her again? Perhaps another ghost attack-

He suppressed the urge to swear as he felt the familiar, slight shudder sweeping his form. Putting a hand over his mouth, he faked a yawn, concealing his frosty breath from the others in the classroom.

He surreptitiously glanced in Valerie's direction, checking to see if she was already aware of the spectral threat. If not, she was sure to be alerted soon. His ghost sense almost always went off before her equipment did. Hopefully she would incapacitate the threat before anyone got hurt.

Danny shook his head, annoyed at himself. The Red Hunter had proven herself countless times to be an extraordinary ghost hunter. Hadn't the incident with the spectral dragon convinced him not to meddle in the duty of other ghost hunters?

He suppressed a sigh of relief as his best friend suddenly stiffened, a familiar look of determination crossing her features as she caught his eye.

"Cover for me." She mouthed, her lips moving so slightly that if Danny hadn't known what she was about to say anyway, he would have altogether missed the exchange.

Danny nodded, as he allowed understanding to permeate his features.

Valerie's gaze softened, relieved that he had got the message. Pushing soft curls of dark hair out of her face, she raised her hand to get Lancer's attention.

"Yes, Miss Gray?" Lancer asked, not bothering to hide his irritation that the lesson had been interrupted.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" The ghost hunter inquired, and Danny knew that adrenaline was already pumping through her veins, preparing her for combat.

"If you must," the vice principal conceded through gritted teeth.

He watched his best friend rise in a deceptively composed fashion as she made her way to the classroom door. She shut it behind her, and Danny's enhanced hearing sensed the soft, rapid padding of ballet pumps on the corridor floor as the ghost hunter sprinted through the hall.

He was not unduly worried. The Red Hunter had yet to be defeated in battle. He was far more concerned for the well being of his peers in the classroom, especially since the school's ghost alarm had yet to sound.

Danny ran a hand through his messy raven hair, as he waited expectantly for the oscillating wail of the school's alarm system. He frowned. Perhaps when he left Amity Park he would request that Vlad installed a new ghost alarm for Casper High. The delayed warning could cause someone to get hurt.

A wave of relief washed over him when the alarm finally sounded, as he released a breath he had not realised he had been holding. Some of his classmates started, caught by surprise.

The look on Lancer's face was one of pure ire, as he led the students from the classroom. The teacher was obviously more upset that his lesson had been interrupted than the fact that ghosts had once again attacked the school.

Danny shook his head. Typical Lancer.

The ghost hunter was surprised by the lack of chaos in the hall. Perhaps Valerie had already dealt with the ghost.

He caught the familiar, soft scent of Sam's perfume as she approached him, touching him softly on the forearm to get his attention.

"Where's the ghost?" Sam asked as her class joined his in the hallway.

"I don't know." The government agent shrugged. "We haven't seen it either."

"Where's Valerie?" Tucker added, an alien look of seriousness on his features.

"Val's in the bathroom." The ghost hunter said. "She's probably heard the alarm and is out of school by now."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked, the beginnings of doubt forming in her mind.

"She's a big girl," Danny reassured, grinning. "She can take care of herself."

Tucker didn't look entirely convinced.

"Valerie could be in danger." Sam whispered fiercely. "We should go look for her."

Danny nodded, unable to refuse without his friends becoming suspicious.

The fact that this was not the first time Valerie had disappeared when the ghost alarm sounded had not escaped the Goth. Sam had noticed that over the past three years, Valerie Gray had occasionally vanished just before a ghost attack. Now, Sam was certain that Valerie disappearances were linked to her government involvement. They were far too frequent to be dismissed as coincidences.

But the question remained. How exactly was Valerie Gray serving the state? Perhaps if they could find Valerie, some of Sam's questions would finally be answered.

The trio turned, manoeuvring their way through the crowd of students heading in the opposite direction as they headed towards the girls' locker room.

Sam opened the door, only to be faced with rows of empty cubicles.

"Valerie's not in there," she announced, practically shouting against the alarm.

"Do you reckon she's safe?" Tucker asked, frowning.

Danny was strangely silent, abruptly covering his mouth with his hands. Sam could have sworn she saw a strange look of resolve flash across his features, the expression on his face somehow reminding Sam of Phantom when he was in battle.

"What's wrong?" She asked, concerned.

"Nothing." He shrugged. "We should get back to safety."

Tucker tried to protest. "But Valerie's--"

The techno geek's objections were interrupted by the abrupt crash of an increasingly familiar jet sled into a nearby wall.

Danny bit his bottom lip, worried. Valerie had willingly dismounted her jet sled in the past. The Red Hunter was probably fine. Or so he hoped.

"This way!" Sam insisted as she grabbed Danny's hand, refusing to allow him the opportunity to disappear in case the incident with the dragon was repeated. Finding out Valerie Gray's secret was secondary to the safety of her friends. She was not about to let him out of her sight.

"Where's the Red Hunter?" Tucker frowned, looking back at the riderless jet sled as the school's ghost alarm finally ceased to sound.

Danny was relieved that Casper High had been fully evacuated, apart from his overly inquisitive friends. The safety of civilians was one less issue he needed to worry about.

He swore as they rounded the corner, causing his friends to regard him with a look of astonishment due to his uncharacteristic display of irritation. There were so many ghosts in Casper High that he had not realised their presence until it was too late. They were running straight towards a large number of paranormal beings.

"Turn back!" He yelled, ignoring the wails of protest from Tucker.

"Why?" Sam frowned.

The ghost hunter was saved from fabricating some ill-conceived excuse by the entrance of a pack of spectral wolves phasing through the row of lockers to their right. The trio watched with morbid fascination as the spectres approached with feral grace, the soft clicking of their claws on the tiled floor the only sound in the hallway.

Danny massaged his knuckles in annoyance. He had been under the impression that he had captured the last of the ghost wolves, with a large number of them currently being experimented on in Dalv Enterprises. There was the possibility that they had escaped, but that was highly unlikely. With Vlad's strict security procedures, they would not have gotten far.

Even if the wolves before him were the same beasts he had captured before, what had drawn them back from the ghost portal at Vlad's headquarters to Amity Park? He was determined to uncover why Amity Park's ectoplasmic levels were triple the national average.

Sam started slightly as Danny placed a strong hand on her waist, drawing him towards him. Protectively. Possessively.

His eyes narrowed, and the pair were taken aback by the ferocity in his gaze. "We have to leave. Now."

Sam flushed, her earlier astonishment regarding his fierce assertiveness intensifying. This was not the klutzy, unobtrusive Danny Fenton she knew.

Danny instinctively shifted his weight to the balls of his feet as he readied himself for combat. He could easily take the spectres, even in human form.

But having to protect both Sam and Tucker at the same time could prove a problem, especially when having to limit himself to less powerful, inconspicuous abilities when subduing such a large number of ghosts. His friends were not stupid. Fighting the wolves in front of them would no doubt arouse suspicion.

Danny growled in frustration. The best option was still to make a run for it, and hope that Val was around to save them.

He pulled Sam closer towards him as the wolves began to circle the trio, glancing at Tucker out of the corner of his eye. The techno geek stood motionless, cautious against aggravating the ghosts into attacking. His face was expressionless, but Danny could practically feel the fear radiating off him.

He was surprised when Sam placed a delicate hand on his chest, glancing in her direction in case she needed reassurance.

"What's the plan?" She asked, clenching the material of his shirt in her fist. There was a fierce glow of determination in her pale lavender eyes, reminding the ghost hunter of a cornered wildcat.

"I still say we run." He replied, flexing his fingers as he prepared to scoop her into his arms the instant he saw an opening. Perhaps he could fire a discrete ray of ectoplasmic energy to keep the wolves at bay while Tucker made his escape.

"In any particular direction?" Tucker added dryly.

Danny grinned in reply.

"Even at a time like this, your jokes aren't funny." Sam deadpanned.

Her best friend was denied the opportunity to retaliate as the Red Hunter rounded the corner, hurling ecto grenades at the wolves. Not for the first time, Danny was glad that ectoplasmic weaponry did not affect him while he was human, as the spectral beasts yelped, scattering to escape the violent blasts.

"Get to safety," the ghost hunter commanded, ecto blaster smoking. "I can't protect you from this many ghosts without my jet sled."

Danny did not need to be told twice, ignoring Sam's cries of protest as he swept her in his arms. He sprinted to the exit at the end of as fast as he deemed humanly possible, careful not to leave Tucker behind. He was grateful that the Red Hunter had shown up in time.

The half ghost briefly shut his eyes, sensing for the presence of other ghosts in the vicinity. Thankfully, their route to safety was clear. Valerie had already taken care of the rest of the beasts. To be honest, he was impressed that the Red Hunter had managed to take down so many spectres in so short a period of time, despite lacking the inhuman abilities he and Vlad possessed.

The Red Hunter swore loudly, causing Danny to stop in his tracks as a wolf lunged at her, knocking the thermos from her grasp. He could see that Valerie was fatigued, weary from having to fight such a large number of ghosts on her own. She had probably already captured dozens of wolves. Despite the Red Hunter's exceptional capabilities, she was only human. Valerie would probably manage fine without him, but Danny was unaccustomed to taking chances when his best friend was concerned.

"Get Sam to safety," he instructed Tucker, gently setting her on the ground.

"Where are you going?" His crush asked, refusing to release his shirt from her grip.

"To help her," he responded, his features set with determination. The agent spun, racing back towards his partner with what he hoped would pass as a realistic speed for humans.

Tucker glanced at his best friend, more to confirm their subsequent actions than to inspect her for injury.

"We're not going anywhere." Sam asserted firmly, in a tone that left no room for argument.

The techno geek merely shrugged and returned his attention to the fight taking place at the other end of the corridor. Danny Fenton was either very brave or very stupid. In Tucker's opinion, the latter was far more probable.

"What are you doing, Danny?" The Red Hunter admonished under her breath. "I thought I told you to get out of here!"

"Helping you." Her partner replied, sinking into combat stance for emphasis.

Danny frowned, resolute on restricting himself to basic attacks. Anything too flashy would probably result in exposure. Although he was no longer wary about concealing Phantom's identity from the Red Hunter, Sam and Tucker were still watching this fight. It was imperative that he did not reveal himself to civilians.

The ghost hunter dropped into a crouch as a wolf snarled, charging towards him, as he tumbled fluidly beneath the leaping beast to dodge its attack. He subdued the ghost with a unsophisticated, yet forceful kick to its sensitive abdomen, slamming his foot into the spectre's side, taking advantage of the fact that the lunge had left it wide open.

The Red Hunter raised an eyebrow, silently impressed. "I see Vlad's been keeping you busy."

Danny grinned ruefully in reply. "No one escapes our benefactor's training."

Valerie laughed in response.

Danny glanced back towards the exit, checking to see if his friends had left the building. To his annoyance, they had ignored his request to escape, choosing instead to stay and watch the fight.

He growled. There was nothing he could do about now. "Ecto blaster?" he requested. The situation had to be resolved before his friends' curiosity resulted in them getting hurt.

The Red Hunter thrust the weapon in Danny's direction, already retrieving another set of anti ghost artillery from her utility belt. Although six months ago she would have refused to let him touch her weapons in case he hurt himself, after her best friend's recent display, she no longer doubted his capabilities as a ghost hunter.

"Get the thermos," she instructed.

"Already ahead of you." The halfa smirked, catching the weapon as he sidestepped a spectral beast to dodge its attack.

Danny weighed the gun in his hand as he pulled the trigger, unaccustomed to using weapons instead of his own natural abilities. However, his aim proved true as the blast he fired met its mark. The ghost hunter smirked as he felt the ectoplasmic energy energy present in his target ebb with the attack. Danny frowned. Discharging ecto blasts from an artificial weapon did not feel half as satisfying as attacking with his own abilities.

Sam surveyed the scene before her with astonishment as her crush lunged towards the containment device lying abandoned on the floor, uncapping the weapon with seemingly practiced ease, unable to believe that this was the same Danny Fenton that Dash Baxter took pleasure in beating up on an almost daily basis.

"Identification code?" Danny demanded, activating the thermos as the Red Hunter recited a string of numbers. Sam could have sworn he had finished punching the numbers into the keypad even before the ghost hunter had enumerated the entire code.

He located the discrete red button at the side of the Red Hunter's weapon, pressing it to activate the device's containment function.

Sam shielded her eyes as familiar white light from the thermos swept the hallway, distorting the beasts' already hazy, immaterial forms as they were drawn into the capturing device, the otherworldly glow of their piercing red eyes the last to dissipate.

Danny sighed in relief that the threat had been incapacitated, collapsing into an ungraceful heap on the hallway floor.

"You guys okay?" Tucker queried, concerned as he and Sam made their way towards the ghost hunters.

"Yeah," the agent replied, picking himself up from the ground. His expression hardened. "You two should have known better than to stay. What if you had gotten hurt?"

"I could say the same for you," Sam parried, crossing her arms.

Danny shrugged, unable to justify his own actions. At least his friends had not been hurt.

He handed the thermos to his partner, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Valerie blinked in surprise as Danny extended a hand towards her in acknowledgment. "The Red Hunter." He greeted, an unfamiliar note of formality in his voice. "I've heard about your recent successes from our benefactor."

"Daniel Masters." She acknowledged, playing along as she realised the purpose of his deception. Danny was trying to help maintain the secrecy of her identity, something she was grateful for. Sam and Tucker were becoming increasing familiar with Valerie Gray, perhaps well enough to recognise her behind the mask.

She smiled in return, taking his hand, inwardly laughing as Tucker's jaw dropped. "A pleasure as always."

Danny released her hand, grinning. "The pleasure is entirely mine."

"I must say I am impressed." The Red Hunter laughed. "Although I knew it was only a matter of time until you took up ghost hunting."

"Vlad wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, it was just self defense." Danny scratched the back of his head, sheepish. "I've had hardly any training."

Sam frowned. So her hunch had been correct. Danny _was_ a ghost hunter. Or a ghost hunter in training, at least. Perhaps she had finally found the reason behind his newfound secrecy.

Still, she could not help but feel there was still more to Danny Fenton that she had yet to discover.

"You know her?" Tucker interjected. "_You know her _and you never told me?" He demanded, favouring Danny with a look of incredulity.

Vlad's apprentice raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I have no business revealing my benefactor's contacts."

"He's right." The Red Hunter asserted, addressing the techno geek as she placed a fist on her hips. "You had absolutely no right to know we were acquaintances."

Tucker blinked, opening and closing his mouth in a manner that reminded Sam of a gaping goldfish. Had the Red Hunter just _spoken to him_?

"You're Tucker, aren't you?" The huntress laughed, extroversion replacing her previously cold demeanor. "Danny tells me you're quite the fan."

The techno geek shoved his PDA unto his back pocket to conceal his autographed wallpaper from the subject of his idol worship, in an endeavor to save himself from further embarrassment.

The ghost hunter cocked her head in an amused fashion, and Tucker could not hide the sinking feeling that she had seen the autograph anyway.

The jovial atmosphere was ruined by the arrival of a pair of immaculately dressed agents clad in white suits, their eyes hidden behind uniform dark glasses. Danny felt his hackles rise, unable to quell his instinctive feelings of dislike towards the ghost hunters. The ghosts had been incapacitated. The Guys in White had no further business here.

His eyes narrowed, prepared to protect his best friend if necessary, adopting a discrete battle stance as an agent, undoubtedly the operative of higher rank, approached Valerie.

"We meet again, Red Hunter." The Guy in White sneered. He spoke with a clipped accent that Danny could not classify as anything but artificial.

Danny suppressed the low growl rising in the back of his throat. Val had never told him that the Guys in White had given her trouble in the past. If he had been informed, Phantom would have long since remedied the situation.

His partner did not appear fazed by the rival agent's presence, drawing herself up to her full height.

"You've failed Amity Park once again." Valerie taunted. "Although I must give you credit for actually turning up this time."

The ghost hunting operative ignored the mockery, squaring his shoulders as he approached the Red Hunter. "You have not been given clearance by our executive operator to continue hunting ghosts in Amity Park."

Despite the difference in height and stature between the two ghost hunters, there was no doubt in the trio's opinion of who held dominance over the conversation, as the Red Hunter raised her head in a commanding, almost regal fashion.

"I hunt ghosts because I can," the Red Hunter replied coldly. "Amity Park needs competent, experienced ghost hunters that do not require payment for their services, of which you are neither."

She favoured the pair of government agents with an icy glare. "Our taxes are wasted on renovating your headquarters and other pointless activities that do not further your ability to hunt or capture ghosts."

"We have tolerated your impertinence for long enough, _child_." The Guy in White spat. "If you continue to defy our organisation, we will be forced to undertake drastic measures." He let the unspoken threat hang in the air.

"I answer to Vlad Masters, and Vlad Masters alone." The Red Hunter declared, fingering the safety on her weapon. "You have no authority over me."

"This is your final warning to leave Amity Park." The white clad operative maintained as his partner followed suit, reaching into his blazer to confirm the presence of his ecto blaster as a staring match ensued.

Danny could practically taste the bitter tension in the air between the rival ghost hunters. He knew if he didn't do something soon, Valerie would progress from trading glares with the government operative to trading blows.

"Back off." Tucker demanded regarding the Guys in White with an expression of pure fury. "She's done more for this town than you ever will."

The techno geek's interjection was sufficient to fracture the latent hostility between both parties, as the ghost hunters remembered that there were civilians present to witness their long standing feud. Danny was glad that it had been his friend who had broken the silence. The exchange would not have remained verbal for much longer.

The Red Hunter placed a crimson-gloved hand on Tucker's shoulder to subdue him, her slight hands curling into fists as she regarded the Guys in White.

"I will stay as long as the public requires me." She snarled, challenging the glare behind the agent's dark glasses. "While your incompetence continues to fail Amity Park, the public will continue to view me with higher regard than they trust your entire organisation."

The Guys in White chose to ignore the Red Hunter's response, choosing instead to render Danny the new focus of their attention.

"Daniel Masters." The operative drawled. "Your guardian's persistent attempts to extradite us has rendered you less than popular among our headquarters. I suggest withdrawing your case against us before things get ugly."

"Fenton Works is mine." Danny stated simply, his cerulean eyes frosty.

"Leave Danny out of this, coward." Valerie demanded, her voice cold steel. "We have nothing more to discuss."

The Guys in White straightened their uniform, the finality in the Red Hunter's statement clearly marking the end of negotiations. Danny did not doubt that Red Hunter could easily take down both operatives single handedly, something the Guys in White also seemed to be aware of as they made their retreat.

"You will regret defying the Guys in White." The agent enunciated through gritted teeth as he turned to leave, his partner trailing after him in an almost mechanical fashion.

Danny released a breath he had not been aware that he had been holding, as he allowed the unnecessary adrenaline to slowly to ebb from his being.

"That _jerk_." Tucker made a violent gesture, glaring in the direction of the ghost hunters' departure.

"Does Vlad know they've been giving you trouble?" Danny demanded.

"I've never told him." His partner shrugged. "I figured he's has enough to worry about as it is."

"He'll want to know." Her best friend growled, and Valerie could not help noticing the similarities in demeanor between Danny and their benefactor. "If you won't tell him, I will."

In all honesty, Valerie Gray could not say she was surprised that Vlad had started training Danny in ghost hunting. Parapsychology was their benefactor's primary field of research, and Vlad was sure to share his interest with his adopted son, especially since he was the biological son of ghost hunters.

The strict resolve her best friend had adopted in the midst of the engagement was the attitude of a highly trained professional, not a typical schoolboy. Her best friend was doing far more than merely dabbling in the practice of ghost hunting.

Perhaps Danny Fenton wasn't half as defenseless as she had thought.

Another unexpected occurrence was that when she had ruffled Phantom's hair earlier that morning, it had felt exactly like Danny's. Even their hair gel smelled the same. Although all she had to rely on was a gut instinct, the ghost hunter had a feeling that there was much more to Danny Fenton than he let on, and Valerie Gray's hunches were never wrong. If her suspicions were correct...

"I can take care of myself," the Red Hunter laughed. "You worry too much."

"Or too little." Danny muttered under his breath, barely suppressing muted rage.

It seemed strange that this was the first occasion that he had ever found himself face to face with the subjects of his reconnaissance mission. He had never held the Guys in White in particularly high regard. But now, he felt his respect for them plummet even further. Danny couldn't believe that the Guys in White had been challenging Valerie's authority all this time.

Agent Phantom's week long hiatus was definitely over.

**Author's Notes: **I am terribly sorry that the update speed has slowed considerably since I started Metanoia, but I have been working on several other fics that I wish to start posting soon. I feel really guilty when you tell me to update soon in your reviews and I make you wait three weeks.

**Many thanks to:** _vladimir's disease, Henshi-anichan, Black January, eternalLament43, twilightgal, Sasia93, CharmedNightSkye, Pieling, bobalina, kia, Kocinelle, raven luvah, cera meia _and _shimoragurl _for reviewing! I truly did appreciate your comments and words of encouragement:)

Thanks go to _timydamonkey_ for helping me beta!

As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

**Hugs and kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	11. Quiescence

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 11**

Five periods after the ghost attack, Danny still could not quell the violent impulse to start his search for intelligence immediately, to achieve vindication on the Red Hunter's behalf. He wanted nothing more than to take down the bastards that had been harassing his best friend for nearly three years by delivering evidence of the Guys in White's insubordination to the higher authorities.

Danny couldn't believe that Valerie had never told him. The halfa would have thought that his best friend would have confided in him, of all people. What he didn't understand was why Valerie was convinced she would inconvenience Vlad by informing their mentor about the trouble the Guys in White had been giving her.

Perhaps the reason she hadn't told him was because she hadn't thought that Danny Fenton would be capable of doing anything to remedy the situation. Although to be fair, Danny had never given her any indication that he was just as capable a ghost hunter as she was. Phantom and the Red Hunter were now definitely on good terms, and Danny was confident that he would soon be able to reveal his alias to his best friend.

He had initially deliberated asking Valerie to join him in his infiltration of the Guys in White's headquarters, but had eventually decided against it. The ghost hunters had already caused his best friend enough trouble as it was. As incompetent as the Guys in White were, large numbers of rival ghost hunters could prove a threat to both him and the Red Hunter, and he was unwilling to compromise Valerie's safety.

Yet, he had to wonder. Was it wise to infiltrate the headquarters of the Guys in White without first gaining approval from Vlad? His benefactor had specifically instructed him to stand by and await further instructions, an order he was not completely prepared to ignore. If the higher authorities decided that Vlad was unable to control his apprentice, Danny knew he would be forcibly transferred, and the likelihood of ever seeing his mentor or Valerie again would be slim.

Nor would he ever see Sam again, he realised, the beginnings of doubt forming in his mind.

Perhaps it was fortunate that Tucker and Sam had requested to see his hotel room after school. Time spent in their company was time the ghost hunter could spend pondering the current situation before he reached a potentially disastrous decision. Without Vlad to help him on his mission, he would have to come up with his own plan for infiltrating the headquarters of the Guys in White.

Picking up a pen, he began formulating new strategies and recycling old methods that he and Valerie had used in the past to penetrate high security establishments. He glanced at the clock above Lancer's white board and sighed in relief. School was almost over.

The events that Sam had just witnessed had unsettled her more than she would have anticipated. Who would have thought that klutzy _Danny Fenton_, of all people, would be such a skilled fighter, forcing her to re-evaluate her views regarding him.

She glanced at Danny, who was once again eyeing Valerie with a fierce, unreadable expression on his features. Sam had noticed that her crush had adopted an uncharacteristically serious demeanor ever since the encounter with the Guys in White earlier that day.

The Goth didn't understand why she was so convinced that Danny was lying to them, as she reviewed the information she and her best friend had gathered so far.

Tucker had already discovered that Danny was the heir to Dalv Enterprises, one of the main driving forces behind the American economy. His benefactor, Vlad Masters, was a leading expert specialising in the research and development of anti-ghost technology, and had instructed for his protégé to be trained as a ghost hunter. They had also recently discovered that through his guardian, Danny was acquainted with Amity Park's local teen hero, the Red Hunter. What more could Danny be concealing from them?

Perhaps he already was a ghost hunter, and for some reason did not want to draw attention to himself. After all, ghost hunting was undeniably in his blood. But she failed to understand why Danny would choose to hide his identity from her and Tucker.

His parents had had absolutely no qualms about the public being aware of their identities. Then again, before their deaths, incidents involving ghosts had been rare to say the least, and many had dismissed Jack and Maddie Fenton as a pair of disillusioned crackpots.

However, Phantom had seemed taken back when she had insisted that Danny Fenton was capable of ghost hunting. Surely he would be aware if Danny, his benefactor's protégé and sole heir to Dalv Enterprises, was a ghost hunter, especially if they both worked under the employ of Vlad Masters.

Sam had been more than surprised at how _assertive_ Danny had been during the ghost attack. It had been an unexpected change from his usual demeanor, although not an unwelcome one. What Sam failed to understand was why Danny never defended himself from Dash Baxter's bullying. If her crush was half as adept at martial arts as he had displayed during the battle, he should have no trouble fending off the quarterback's clumsy strikes.

After the ghost attack, he had spoken to the Red Hunter as though they were equals, his voice devoid of any of the awe regarding her presence that Tucker's had possessed. The manner in which Danny had demanded that she informed Vlad Masters about the trouble the Guys in White were giving her had not been a request. He had sounded as though he was completely familiar with the intimate workings of his guardian's ghost hunting syndicate.

Sam averted her gaze as Valerie noticed her best friend's concerned expression and winked, amused by Danny's protective tendencies. "Stop worrying about it." She mouthed at him.

Danny shook his head in reply, cerulean eyes hardening, and Sam was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze.

She frowned as she attempted to figure out the reason behind her crush's concern for his best friend. Valerie must have gotten herself into some seriously hot water to cause Danny to forget his initial outrage of the Guys in White threatening the Red Hunter. She could not help but feel slightly jealous at how protective he was of the ghost hunter, especially since the Red Hunter was more than capable of taking care of herself.

Sam ran a hand through her hair, annoyed at herself. Danny and the Red Hunter were nothing more than casual acquaintances. He had never given her any reason to suspect otherwise. She felt slightly guilty of how suspicious she was of the huntress, especially since she and the Red Hunter were on increasingly good terms due to their combined attempts to deflate Phantom's ridiculous ego. Sam had a feeling that it would be a long time before their jibes began to have any effect on the ghost hunter.

She felt a familiar heat rising at the thought of Phantom. He had specifically stated that the Red Hunter did not see him as anything other than a friend. Did that mean that he was seeking a relationship with her? Despite her longstanding familiarity with Danny, Sam was unsure if she would refuse Phantom.

Phantom had said that he would see her again. Did he mean to seek her out, or would she have to wait until a ghost attack secured their next encounter? As much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't wait to see him again.

She glanced at Danny, who seemed to be scribbling a random assortment of Greek letters all over a piece of writing paper. He paused, nibbling his lower lip while spinning his pen, before proceeding to connect the symbols with arrows in a seemingly random fashion. Whatever he was doing, he was obviously not taking down the notes Lancer had made on the board.

She smiled halfheartedly as Danny favoured her with a grin, unable to suppress her guilt. She felt like she had betrayed him by looking forward to meeting Phantom. Although she now knew that he was much less of a jerk than she had initially perceived him to be, she had always thought that she preferred Danny over Phantom. Now, she wasn't so sure. At least Phantom had displayed an interest in her. Danny only perceived her as a friend. For all she knew, he could still be harbouring feelings for Valerie.

She still couldn't figure out what was Valerie Gray's part in Danny's secret. Maybe it was typical for the personal details of government agents, even those in training, to be removed from the US civilian database. This failed to explain why Valerie's files had also been forged, or why they had been altered at a much earlier date than Danny's had been. Three years previously, to be exact.

Now that she thought about it, everything seemed to have occurred after Danny left Amity Park. Barely a week later, ghosts had begun attacking their town, prompting the Guys in White to set up their headquarters in the wreckage of Fenton Works. Roughly two months later, the Red Hunter had made her debut appearance. But it was not until nearly six months after the initial attack of ghosts that she had overtaken the Guys in White in terms of successful captures, gaining the respect and adoration of the public.

Despite the mounting evidence that she and Tucker had discovered, Sam knew that they were hardly any closer to discovering Danny's cause for secrecy. While they certainly knew more than they did a month ago, their investigations had raised far more questions than they had managed to answer.

She glanced at Tucker, who was seated on her right. To her amusement, he seemed to have fallen asleep in class for the third time that week. No doubt he and Danny had been up late the previous night playing DOOMED. She shook her head, amused. Boys would be boys.

With luck, visiting Danny's apartment later than afternoon would finally put an end to what seemed like an eternity of guesswork. She only hoped that Danny would be able to forgive her and Tucker for their interference.

Sam barely stifled a laugh as Tucker started, rudely awakened by the clangour of the bell signaling the end of the school day. She and Valerie traded knowing looks of mirth at their friend's plight, and Sam felt a rush of affection for her best friend. Tucker would never change.

Danny grinned as he watched his friend flail in his seat, disorientated. His features hardened as Valerie Gray glanced at her watch, no doubt readying herself for her afternoon patrol. He could only hope that she would not run into the Guys in White again.

"I told you to stop worrying." His best friend rolled her eyes when she noticed the serious expression on his face.

"I'm _not_," he replied in protest.

Valerie raised an eyebrow, completely unconvinced. "I don't need your protection," she stated firmly, placing her hands on her hips in a gesture that clearly signaled the end of the conversation.

Danny raised his hands in surrender, knowing it was an argument he would never win.

Sam and Tucker exchanged fleeting glances, unsure as to what exactly had transpired between the pair. While it was known that Danny Fenton had a ridiculously short attention span, his previous concerns regarding the Red Hunter seemed to have completely slipped his mind.

Valerie roughly tousled her best friend's hair in an affectionate gesture, making her way out of the classroom. "I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled.

Danny waved, half heartedly returning the grin, worry still evident on his features.

"Val's right," Tucker quipped. "You _do_ worry too much."

"_Val_?" Danny cocked an eyebrow. "Since when did you start using her nickname?"

The techno geek flushed, for once unable to think of a reply.

Sam made a small noise of disbelief. "Tucker's actually _quiet_." She laughed, favouring Danny with a grin. "You should tease him about Valerie more often."

The ghost hunter returned the smirk, eyeing the techno geek with a predatory expression on his features.

"We're going to uh, Amity Hotel, aren't we?" Tucker asked, blatantly changing the subject.

"Yeah." Danny inwardly grinned, his expression innocent. Subtlety had never been one of Tucker's finer points. But he decided to spare his friend the torment. For now.

Since discovering Tucker's infatuation with the Red Hunter, Danny had always hoped that Valerie would pursue a relationship with his friend. The techno geek could be loud and obnoxious, but he was also loyal, caring, and apart from his unerring love for technology, surprisingly down to earth. His laid back attitude would be a perfect match for his best friend's fiery personality and fierce determination.

The trio rounded the corner as they descended from the stairs leading into Casper High, heading towards the direction of the hotel on foot due to Sam's insistence that they maintained some form of a personal carbon quota to offset the ridiculous amount of electricity the techno geek used to power his many toys.

The agent was certain that the that the moral support Tucker would be able to provide Valerie, whether or not he was aware of her ghost hunting status, would prove invaluable to his best friend. He knew that defending Amity Park from ghosts single-handedly wasn't easy.

But if Tucker ever did anything to hurt Valerie... Danny suppressed the low growl rising in the back of his throat. Vlad and Valerie were the closest things he had to family. If any boy ever upset her, even if he was a friend, Danny would ensure that he suffered the consequences. If Tucker Foley broke his best friend's heart, there would be hell to pay.

However, Danny knew he could trust Tucker not to do anything stupid. There was no way the techno geek would ever intentionally hurt Val, not while he was so enamored with her alias. But whether or not Valerie would ever choose to reveal the Red Hunter's identity to Tucker was none of his business.

He bit his lower lip. Perhaps Valerie was right. Maybe he was just being over protective.

But it would definitely prove useful to have someone else around who was capable of calming an angry Valerie Gray down. Danny's lips curved into a smile. If Tucker hadn't stepped in earlier that morning, it was possible that the Guys in White would not have survived the encounter.

The grin vanished from his features. Thinking of the Guys in White had reminded himself of the self-administered mission he was planning to take on later that evening. Danny still had his doubts whether his decision to infiltrate their headquarters without the clearance of higher authorities was the right thing to do.

The ghost hunter cared little about how the mission could potentially endanger him. He was much more concerned about the consequences discovery would have on the people he cared about. Even if he was the most competent ghost hunter in the world, his skill would not save him from a direct order from the higher authorities to be transferred as a punishment for his insubordination. Although it would have seemed egoistical to be so convinced that Valerie and Vlad would miss him, he knew without a doubt that they would.

The hotel doors shut behind them, and the receptionist eyed him with curiosity as they passed the lobby. This was the first time she had ever witnessed the rich, enigmatic adolescent with friends. Danny grinned at her ruefully. She had probably been under the impression that he didn't like human company. The only friend who ever visited was Valerie, and she had a habit of showing up after her evening patrol, still dressed in the Red Hunter's battle suit, a practice that irrefutably denied herself the use of any inconspicuous means of entry other than his window, fifty stories above the ground.

Danny grinned when Tucker complained about the lack of reception for his PDA the moment the elevator doors closed. He couldn't say that he hadn't been expecting that one.

As the elevator ascended, he found himself gripped by a sudden, irrational fear that he had left all of his ghost hunting equipment out in the open. He shook his head, annoyed at himself. There was no way he would ever be that careless. Another thing that was worrying him was that he had never told his friends exactly how generous Vlad could be when it came to indulging his adopted son. Would Sam disapprove? The last thing he wanted was to disgust her with the size of the suite.

Danny produced an electronic card, sliding the magnetic strip through the hotel lock. Gripping the door handle, he hesitated.

"Guys? About the room. I guess I should've told you, but--"

"Tell us later," Tucker declared, pushing past Danny and shoving the door open. If Danny was hiding something, he wasn't going to have the chance to conceal it from them.

The techno geek took one look at living quarters before him and had to do a double take, astonished by the unexpected display of wealth. Before him was a huge reception, complete with marble floor, bar, and black crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Glass doors lead out into the foyer where Tucker was stunned to discover two pools.

Danny shifted his feet, embarrassed by his benefactor's display of wealth.

"Woah," Tucker finally managed. "You said you were living in a hotel room. This place can't even be classified as a suite! I bet it takes up half of the entire floor."

"What's the matter, Tucker?" Sam teased.

"Sorry if I'm not schooled in the ways of the rich," Tucker replied in mock injury.

"Uh, yeah. Vlad's usually pretty generous." Danny grinned sheepishly, obviously uncomfortable. Would Sam think any less of him because of his living quarters?

"Pretty generous? Dude, your guardian's a _billionaire_," Tucker exclaimed.

"No wonder you turned me down when I offered to let you stay at my place." Sam laughed, dispatching the last of his doubts as she gave Danny a playful shove. "This place is amazing!"

"Hey!" He protested, rubbing his arm in faux injury. "That really hurt!"

"Yeah?" Sam challenged, her pretty lavender eyes twinkling in amusement. She shoved him again, harder, before tackling him onto the nearby couch.

"You wimp!"

Danny briefly wondered if he could be considered masochistic if he liked it when Sam hit him.

His crush grabbed his t-shirt collar, preventing her victim from escaping. Using her weight to pin him down, she decided on the most diabolical means to torment her captive victim. If memory served her accurately, Danny Fenton didn't cope well with being tickled.

Slipping her hand under the hem of his shirt, she ran her fingers lightly along the ridges of his muscled stomach, grinning wickedly as the boy beneath her squirmed as he begged for mercy, desperate to escape the wrath of her torture.

He grabbed her wrists in an attempt to push her off the couch, and the Goth barely held back a cry of surprise when Danny's poorly conceived attempts to escape resulted in them both tumbling onto the carpeted floor. Sam laughed when she realised that he had still failed to escape from her grasp, the boy beneath her still pinned between her and the floor.

Both were snapped out of their playful struggle by Tucker's crude wolf whistle.

It was not until then that Sam realised that she and Danny were arranged in a rather... compromising position, with her settled on his hips, straddling him. The wide collar of his t-shirt, which she still held in a death grip, had been yanked to one side, exposing his muscled shoulder as she realised how the display they had just exhibited would have seemed to someone who did not fully understand the situation.

It didn't help that her hand was still under his shirt, resting on his delectably hard stomach. Her suddenly hypersensitive fingertips could suddenly feel every sinew of his muscled abdomen, and she had to fight an intense desire to remove the offending shirt that was denying her a view his naked torso. She felt her already blushing face flush crimson with heat at their closeness and immediately recoiled from him as if she'd been burned.

Danny followed suit, instantly leaping to his feet as he gave Tucker a rueful look. Sam couldn't explain the irrational euphoria she felt when she detected a faint blush on his cheeks, coursing through her veins like an addictive drug. Somehow, she felt indescribably coy that he had enjoyed their closeness just as much as she had.

"Sorry about that," Danny apologised, biting his lower lip in a self-conscience grin.

"This never happened," Sam warned, but it was difficult to glare at Tucker when her face was still hot from her recent proximity with Danny.

The techno geek merely grinned in reply, heightening the awkwardness of the situation.

"So," Tucker said, changing the subject. "Who's up for getting trashed in video games?"

"You wish." Danny smirked, accepting his friend's challenge. "But what about Sam?" He asked, frowning.

"She can do other things." Tucker shrugged, seemingly casual as he subjected Sam to a significant look that she deemed completely unnecessary.

She rolled her eyes at him. Under normal circumstances she would have stayed and inflicted several painful defeats on the pair, but she had more important issues on her mind, such as finding out what exactly Danny was hiding from them, not that Tucker was doing a terribly good job of being discrete.

"Yeah," She agreed, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "This place is huge. I'm sure I can find something to do."

"If you're sure," Danny replied, shrugging. "Come join us if you get bored."

"I will." She laughed, hiding her dismay as she exited the salon.

Sam pushed her dark hair out of her face as she accessed the recent developments in the situation. She had not anticipated a suite of this size. How she was going to find any clues regarding Danny's secret was beyond her. She had expected one, maybe two wardrobes to look through and a couple more drawers, not _this_.

She proceeded to rummage through the large cabinet just outside the salon, doubtful that she would discover anything of interest in such an obvious location. Finding nothing, she proceeded to the chest of drawers at the other end of the hallway. She was relieved to note that the majority of the cabinets in Danny's suite were not being used. The fact that most of them were empty definitely made her life a lot easier.

Sam was glad to notice that the wealth that her crush had accumulated over the past three years had not affected him at all, in terms of dressing and attitude. True, he was now far more self-assured than he had been three years ago, but Sam knew that his newfound confidence had nothing to do with his guardian's wealth. Something major had happened to Danny Fenton in the past three years that seemed to be slowly transforming him into a different person.

_'This is going nowhere.' _She decided, running a hand through her raven hair. Danny would never hide anything that compromising his secret out in the suite hallway, of all places. She would have to look in places far more personal to him.

The Goth rummaged through another chest of drawers before entering the first room at the end of the hallway. She raised an eyebrow. Danny had to be more serious about working out than she had thought, because the room before her was a seriously heavy-duty gym.

To her disappointment, the room yielded no more evidence of ghost hunting activities than the hallway had, even though she was certain that Danny was training to be a ghost hunter. It didn't help that the search was made far more difficult because she had no idea what she was supposed to be looking for.

Returning to her initial hunch, she decided to check the bedroom. Where else would a ghost hunter conceal equipment he did not want others to find?

It was not until her hand was resting on the handle of the door that Sam realised that she couldn't do it.

She shouldn't be here. How she had managed to convince not only herself, but also Tucker, to interfere with Danny's business now seemed completely beyond her. Sam knew that she was supposed to be his friend, and friends did not rummage through each other's rooms without their knowledge.

This would not be the first time when she would have tried to uncover his secret behind his back, the incident in which she had forced Tucker to look him up in the US Civilian Database was still fresh in her mind. Sam wasn't sure if Danny would forgive the violation of his privacy if he ever found out, although she _was_ curious to see the inside of his bedroom.

_'It's for his own good,'_ she told herself firmly. If Danny was taking on more than he could handle, he could seriously hurt himself while ghost hunting.

Suppressing the last of her doubts, she pushed open the door.

Even blindfolded, she could have been able to tell that this was where Danny spent most of his time. It even smelled like him. His room was surprisingly bare, unlike the familiar cluttered mess she was used to seeing in Fenton Works.

She was surprised and flattered to notice a photograph of fourteen year old Tucker, Danny and herself seated at the Nasty Burger taped onto his mirror, underneath a more recent photograph of Valerie Gray. Even though Sam knew she was being irrational, dull jealousy bubbled at the pit of her stomach. Valerie had been Danny's best friend for three years. Just because her photograph had been placed below Valerie's didn't mean anything.

Sam ran a hand through her dark hair, berating herself. She was meant to be looking through Danny's stuff for evidence of ghost hunting equipment, not pondering her chances for a relationship with her crush. Tucker was depending on her to uncover some evidence, and she was determined not to let her best friend down.

Feeling slightly stupid, she crouched down and looked under his bed. Danny was hardly likely to conceal ghost-hunting equipment beneath his _bed_, of all places. The area was empty, as she had expected, save for a couple of weights stashed in the corner.

Rising, she brushed imaginary lint off her skirt, unsure how long Tucker would manage to keep Danny busy for. She should look in his drawers while she had the chance. The first drawer yielded no interesting results, nor did the second, or any of the subsequent drawers in his cabinet. Sam was surprised by how few things Danny actually had with him. At least it was great to know how little value he placed on materialistic possessions.

After confirming that his drawers and bedside table were decidedly free of ghost related items, Sam turned her attention to the only wardrobe in the room. Thankfully, Danny Fenton didn't own a lot of clothes.

She cautiously pulled open the wardrobe door, mortified as several pairs of boxers tumbled out onto the floor.

Sam flushed, her earlier embarrassment intensifying. What kind of idiot kept his underwear in the top section of his wardrobe? Although she had to admit, Calvin Klein _was_ a huge improvement from the red and white spotted boxers he had donned in freshman year.

She stared at the boxers on the floor. If just she left them there, Danny was sure to know that she had been rummaging through his stuff. Sam ran a hand through her hair, disconcerted. She should have sent Tucker to rummage through Danny's belongings. It seemed her luck could not get any worse.

Ignoring the burning of her cheeks and the ridiculous palpitations of her heart, Sam picked up the offending boxers, folded them, and placed them back on the stack of clothes. She frowned, hesitating. Had she replaced them too neatly? Her crush was bound to notice if his boxers had not been folded before their visit, which would lead him to suspect that someone had been rummaging through his wardrobe.

Her earlier reaction to their closeness confused her, perhaps more than his earlier response to the ghost attack. She had always thought that her feelings for Danny ran deeper than mere carnality, rather than the strong physical attraction she felt towards Phantom. Yet he had somehow managed to invoke in her fervor she had previously thought only Phantom was capable of.

In a way, she had hoped that Danny's lack of interest in pursuing a relationship with her would help her ease the choice between him and Phantom. Now, it seemed like her emotions had been running in circles. She was right back where she started, with absolutely no idea what to do regarding the rapidly worsening situation she had gotten herself into.

Sam couldn't believe that she had once thought they were polar opposites. She pushed her dark hair out of her face, a new perspective suddenly dawning. Now that she thought about it, she was beginning to see more of Phantom in Danny with every passing day. The alien, fierce resolve that Danny had adopted while defending himself during the ghost attack earlier that day had not been the only incident in which Sam had noticed a distinct change in his personality.

It was possible that the increased self-assuredness that he had gained over the past three years stemmed from interaction with Phantom. If Danny was on friendly terms with the Red Hunter, what was to stop him from being acquaintances with the rest of the ghost hunters under Vlad Master's employ?

The Goth was no combat expert, but she could not help but notice that they manner in which Danny had fought during the ghost attack had been strongly reminiscent of Phantom. Perhaps _he_ was the ghost hunter that Vlad Masters had instructed to train Danny in ghost hunting.

Sam sighed. She was getting ahead of herself. Phantom had admitted that he had heard of Danny Fenton, but he had refused to tell her how close the two of them were, or if they were even acquaintances in the first place. Besides, Phantom had been surprised when Sam had suggested that Danny was a ghost hunter.

She scowled. Although she had initially been disinterested in Phantom's secrets, now she wished that she had questioned the ghost hunter more thoroughly when he had apologised to her that morning. She ought to have taken advantage of the fact that he felt bad about apparently forcing himself on her the previous week.

Sam couldn't believe that she had lost a golden opportunity to finally get some answers. No doubt the next time that she encountered him, Phantom would revert to his typical, cocky self, rendering interrogations impossible. That was, _if_ she ever saw him again. But the Goth knew that if the ghost hunter were to fulfill his promise of seeing her again, conversation would be the last thing on her mind.

The ghost hunter had been pretty rapid to drop any further discussions regarding being called a "halfa" by Skulker. Maybe this was somehow linked to Danny's cause of secrecy as well. Perhaps a "halfa" was a type of ghost hunter.

Sam frowned, unsure. There was always too much room for speculation where her crushes were concerned. She ought to be concentrating on trying to find evidence concerning Danny's secrecy, instead of sitting on his bed and entertaining herself with guesswork.

Rising to her feet, Sam prepared herself to continue her frustratingly futile search. Perhaps soon she would finally be rewarded with another piece of the puzzle in this rapidly growing web of intrigue.

**Author's Notes:** I credit _BlueMyst19_ entirely for the bit about the boxers:) I apologise about the lack of updates, but chapter 11 was giving me quite a bit of trouble. I ended up writing a chapter that was approaching 10,000 words in length, and didn't seem to show any signs of stopping soon.

Hence, I deleted some of it and split the chapter into two. At least now I have a much better idea of how many chapters until the end. Sorry that the half you got wasn't very action packed. But since most of it is already written, hopefully the next update won't take half as long. Also, the speed at which the plot moves forward is about to increase significantly.

Check out my new fics, **Rules of Engagement** and **Anathema's Abode**, which will be replacing **Metanoia** as my main fic once I've finished it. I have the beginnings of a sequel for **Metanoia** in my mind, if you would like one, but I can't tell you guys any more about it without giving away the ending for **Metanoia**!

**Many thanks to my reviewers: **_hamanor12, YellowQueen, yuuki, shimoragurl, vladimir's disease, Henshi-anichan, cera meia, b4k4 ch4n, raven luvah, kia, cariadiorarua, FieryWitch, Linda, CharmedNightSkye, Secret Spy Guy, Sasia93_ and _Koccinelle._ Your comments and criticism never fail to encourage me!

Please leave a review to let me know what you think.

**Hugs and Kisses, **

**Twisted Creampuff**


	12. Revelations

"Let this be a lesson, Danny. I put the _pro_ in _quid pro quo_, not that you're bright enough to know what that means."

--_ Vlad Masters, An Eye For An Eye_

Woohoo Vlad!:D Special thanks go to _Mrs.Masters_, for sending me those links and so totally making my week, effectively giving me the willpower to update.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 12**

Danny sighed as he shut the heavy hotel door behind him with a definitive thud. He hadn't expected Sam and Tucker to stay for that long. It wasn't that his friends' presence was unwelcome, they just seemed to be lingering in his suite with some mysterious intent, as though they had been waiting for him to break some very important news to them. Then again, the delay had not been helped by his firm insistence to walk Sam home.

Danny frowned. Sam's behavior had been especially puzzling. What had been her intentions when she had tackled him to the ground on the living room floor? Her closeness had been almost too much to bear. If Tucker hadn't been around to intervene, Danny wasn't sure if he would have been able to stop himself from jumping her.

The ghost hunter shook his head, clearing it of all distractions. He had more important things to figure out than whether a civilian girl returned his affections.

Danny still couldn't believe that the Guys in White had demanded that the only person standing between ghosts and the utter destruction of Amity Park relinquished her position as the town's public defender.

Whatever ill intent the Guys in White harboured towards the Red Hunter, it ended tonight.

He hesitated, unsure if he should bring his communicator with him on the reconnaissance mission. Even though he knew Vlad would not approve of his actions, his mentor had previously warned him not to underestimate the Guys in White. It never hurt to be cautious, although it was highly unlikely that Phantom would be subdued.

He started with surprise as the object of his indecisiveness began to beep, dropping the communicator onto the carpeted floor. Cursing himself for his slow response, he retrieved the device. If his reflexes had been half as slow in battle, he would have been dead.

Drawing a deep breath, he accepted the transmission. Pushing the tribulations of the day to the back of his mind, he schooled his features to a flawlessly deceptive mask of calm that would have fooled anyone but Vlad Masters. Unfortunately for Danny, his mentor knew him far better than most.

"What is wrong, Daniel?" Vlad queried as his voice crackled through the speaker, an expression of genuine concern etched on his visage. It was evident that something was unsettling his apprentice.

Danny felt a rush of affection for the spy coordinator, as his benefactor's simple question finally released the dam suppressing the torrent of emotions regarding the events that had occurred that day. Suddenly, the agent wanted nothing more than to confide in his mentor, to tell him everything that he was planning to do.

His expression must have wavered in his indecisiveness, for Vlad chose that moment raise a teacup to his lips, quirking a regal eyebrow at Danny in a gesture to speak. Still unsure if it would be the right thing to involve Vlad in his rogue mission, the ghost hunter decided to begin with information he was definitely going to share with his mentor, namely his concerns regarding his best friend.

"Did you know that the Guys in White have been giving Val trouble?" Danny demanded, his expression of pure fury highlighted by the glowing green of his eyes.

The ghost hunter sat seething in expectant silence as he waited for his mentor to digest the information, bracing himself for the explosion he knew would soon follow.

"They _what_?" Vlad roared, the angry red ectoplasm of his eyes visible even through the small communicator screen.

"The bastards have been telling her that she's not authorised to hunt ghosts in Amity Park." Danny growled, as brilliant green met dangerous red. "They've been trying to get her to leave for three years."

"On what grounds have they made these ridiculous claims?" The veteran spy snarled, so enraged that he did not bother to correct the expletive used by his apprentice. "The Guys in White have no authority over Dalv Enterprises."

"That's exactly what Val told them." Danny agreed. "They threatened to incapacitate her."

"They have taken this too far." His benefactor hissed through gritted teeth, striking the desk with his fist, the dark mahogany creaking under its abuse. "Our divisions have never gotten along, but there is no reason for this absolute lack of civility."

Not for the first time in minutes, Danny was glad that he wasn't in the same room as Vlad Plasmius as he watched his benefactor shake with outrage. The ghost hunter was glad for the immense control his mentor had over his powers. If the roles had been reversed, Danny was certain that even the rubble from his suite would be beyond salvaging.

After a few moments, the spy coordinator had calmed down sufficiently to advert his gaze back to the communicator screen.

"Why didn't Valerie tell me?" Vlad asked his apprentice, and Danny was taken aback by the look of hurt that flashed across his benefactor's features.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "She didn't tell me either. I guess she just didn't want to worry us."

"The stupid girl." The billionaire sighed, but the admonishment was completely without malice.

"What are we going to do about it?" Danny asked, eager to take down the Guys in White under his benefactor's guidance.

"Despite the Guys in White's appalling behavior, some... tact must be involved when dealing with such sensitive matters." Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose. "I will figure something out. In the meantime, Valerie must do all that she can to reinforce in their minds who is the superior ghost hunter."

"Oh." Danny's face fell. He had been hoping for a far more destructive approach. "We can start by getting her new weapons. The core of Val's battle suit's been the same for years." The ghost hunter pointed out. "She's practically outgrown it."

"I agree that Valerie is far more capable than she once was." His mentor agreed. "I can only hope the recent upgrades will be completed in time for her birthday."

"You're actually upgrading her suit?" Danny echoed, grinning, his initial ire forgotten. "Val's gonna be ecstatic."

Vlad Masters frowned, subjecting his apprentice to a significant look. "I wish for the upgrades to be a surprise, meaning it is imperative that you practice _absolute discretion_ regarding the gift."

Danny flushed, looking away. He didn't need any more reminder that he had been the one to accidentally give away the details of Valerie's present the previous year. "How was I supposed to know you were trying to keep it a secret," he grumbled.

The veteran agent rolled his eyes in a blatant gesture of satire as he imitated his apprentice, raising an elegant eyebrow at the look of disbelief that crossed Danny's features at the impersonation. "I require your help to design the suit."

"Uh, sure." Danny frowned. "Though I'm not certain how much help I will actually be." His benefactor knew better than most how hopeless he was at mechanical applications.

"The actual physical calibration of the battle suit has long since been completed." Vlad Masters waved a hand dismissively. "My problem is a far simpler one."

His interest piqued, Vlad's protégé cocked an eyebrow, indicating for his mentor to continue.

"Unfortunately, my many talents do not extend to understanding the ridiculous trends of teenage fashion." His benefactor sniffed. "For fear of creating an antique monstrosity, I have to enlist the help of my idiot apprentice."

Danny endeavored to bite back the grin spreading on his features. He failed miserably.

"Why not just keep the suit simple?" The ghost hunter asked. "You didn't do too badly with the red one."

His mentor shrugged. "I do not intend to stray too far from the original battle suit's design. My only fear is that Valerie will not like the change."

"Even after her successes, Val still values everything you've ever done for her." Danny reassured. "She'd wear the new suit even if it _did_ turn out to be a complete fashion disaster in her eyes. Besides," He grinned. "you can never go wrong with giving the Red Hunter bigger guns."

Vlad shook his head. "I've trained the two of you well. Perhaps _too_ well." The corners of the veteran spy's lips curved into a smirk. The Red Hunter was notorious for her trigger happy tendencies, a trait that was strongly reminiscent of Vlad Plasmius in his days of field assignments.

"Do not fail me." His mentor warned. "Valerie played a large part in the design of your suit. Make sure that the favour is not poorly returned."

"No problem." The ghost hunter grinned.

His benefactor shook his head, muttering under his breath about the high maintenance of his protégés.

"Not a word to Valerie." Vlad Masters declared. "This year, I intend for her present to actually be a _surprise_."

"No problem." Danny grinned. "Has there been any news from the higher authorities?" The ghost hunter inquired, his expression suddenly serious.

"None whatsoever." His benefactor's eyes narrowed, his features devoid of all traces of their previous good humour. "Although investigating the insubordination of the Guys in White was never particularly high on their list of priorities, it is ridiculous that we have been subjected to such neglect."

The agent shrugged. It wasn't like he was particularly interested in the assignment. The only reason he was going to infiltrate the Guys in White's headquarters was to discover a reason for the higher authorities to extradite them, effectively putting an end to the trouble that they had been giving Valerie.

The spy coordinator took a refined sip of his Earl Gray. "This morning, I was in fact toying with the idea of withdrawing you."

"I'm fine where I am." Danny ascertained, mildly surprised that his reassurance was completely genuine. Short weeks ago, he had been dreading even setting foot in Amity Park. Now, it almost felt like home again. His brow furrowed as he considered the unexpected circumstances. What had changed in the last few weeks?

"It's your decision." Vlad waved a hand dismissively. "Although I agree that attending a civilian school is actually proving to be surprisingly rewarding for you."

Danny grinned in reply as an image of Sam flashed in his mind. If only Vlad knew.

"Thank you for relaying to me the threat made on your partner's life." His mentor's smile was strained. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me Daniel?" Vlad's eyes bored into his vision.

Danny hesitated. If he truly went through with this mission, the higher authorities would have every right to label him as a rogue agent. If it was discovered that Vlad Masters was aware of Agent Phantom's self-administered mission, all assumptions would be immediately made that it had been the veteran agent who had masterminded the infiltration, against the will of Caleb Jones.

He could not involve Vlad, Danny decided, forcing himself to strengthen his resolve. This was one mission he had to complete on his own. After the six months in the field, he knew was ready for solo reconnaissance assignments.

The ghost hunter's eyes hardened as he replied.

"No."

"Very well then." Vlad sighed as Danny adverted his eyes, not wanting to see the look of hurt that flashed across his mentor's features. The veteran agent shook his head as the deep blue of his gaze locked with the reluctant icy cerulean of his apprentice, silently willing his apprentice to be careful.

"I will speak with you tomorrow, Daniel."

Even as Danny hit the button that ended their transmission, he couldn't help but feel that his mentor was under firm suspicion of exactly what he was about to do.

He allowed himself a rare moment of calm as he lost himself in the searing comfort of the raw ectoplasm flooding his being, invoking the presence of Phantom.

Ghost hunting had never been more complicated. Danny removed a glove, slowly taking in the familiar feel of the smooth white hazmat under his fingertips. Had he only been doing this for six months? It felt more like a lifetime.

Snapping himself out of his reverie, the agent's eyes narrowed. He had wasted enough time as it was. He was going to infiltrate the headquarters of the Guys in White, dig up the required dirt on them, and return immediately to tell Vlad what he had discovered. Danny couldn't bear to keep his benefactor in the dark for any longer.

Turning invisible, he threw himself out of his bedroom window, making no effort to prevent himself plummeting to the earth in free fall, only stopping to draw himself upwards at the very last moment. He chose to ignore the fact that his insubordination regarding Vlad Masters had thrown him into a dangerously reckless mood.

He sped towards Fenton Works, guilt lacing his already unsettled emotions, the intense desire for vindication on his best friend's behalf spurring him on. With luck, he would return before Valerie came to pay him her usual evening visit after patrol.

_'This is for Val.'_ He maintained, thrusting himself high above the forlorn concrete jungle of Amity Park, until the uniform buildings appeared to be nothing more than a dull sea of cardboard boxes below him. _'I'm only doing this to protect her.'_

The wind stung his eyes as he gathered speed, bracing himself for the immense shock that would soon follow from charging at the Fenton Ghost Shield straight on. The ghost hunter winced. He really should have thought this through. Somehow, a part of Danny was eager for the hurt, as a form of his own self administered punishment for lying to Vlad.

Failure to inform his foster father of his true intentions regarding the Guys in White was practically akin to betrayal. He owed Vlad everything. The older halfa had been a friend, a mentor, and perhaps even a father. Why Danny had felt so compelled to deceive Vlad was completely beyond him. When he returned from this mission, he would tell his benefactor that he had every right to dismiss Phantom from service.

He was going far too fast to even think of stopping now. Phantom gritted his teeth as he approached his former home, bracing himself for the interminable pain that would soon wrack his being on impact.

It never came.

Danny frowned, pleasantly surprised by the lack of initial difficulties in the first stage of infiltration. He really hadn't expected that to work. Danny had been under the impression that his infiltration of the premises would require far more stealth than the sheer brute force that he had displayed.

He had anticipated having to disable their ghost shield, and probably destroy their back up generator in order to have any chance of even entering the building, rather than the poor security measures that he had encountered. He couldn't believe that for all the Guys in White's paranoid tendencies, their headquarters were practically foolproof to penetrate.

Compared to the security surrounding Dalv Enterprises, entering the Guys in White's headquarters was child's play. Yet, he could not ignore the nagging instinct at the back of his mind that something was very wrong. When Danny moved out of Fenton Works three years ago, the ghost shield his parents had constructed would have been strong enough to at the very least hinder even a ghost of his caliber. The shield had been in a bad state after the explosion of the lab, but it had not been beyond salvaging. Why had the Guys in White replaced it with a less effective alternative?

Even if the Guys in White were not smart enough to construct their own ghost shields, Phantom was certain that an organisation of such magnitude was sure to purchase several from reputable suppliers such as Dalv Enterprises.

Dull panic gripped him. Perhaps the Guys in White were aware of his assignment, and had intentionally lowered their defenses in an attempt to lure him into their headquarters, where they held the advantage. Danny shook his head, annoyed at himself. There was no way the Guys in White could have discovered that they were the subject of a reconnaissance mission. As far as they were concerned, the higher authorities were on their side.

But if the lowered defenses was not an attempt to lure him to their headquarters, why else would the Guys in White render their headquarters vulnerable to be overrun by ghosts?

Danny shook his head. Vlad's protocol had was always been to abort an assignment at the first sign of danger, but his ridiculous paranoia was not going to amount to anything. The Guys in White didn't even know that he was here.

Starting, he willed himself to turn invisible as two white clad agents entered the room. He was surprised that the Guys in White had yet to be alerted to his presence, especially in a room filled with such a large amount of experimental anti-ghost technology. Phantom hadn't yet set off any ghost alarms in the vicinity, but he wasn't going to stick around to find out what would happen if he did. Turning intangible, he allowed himself to sink through the laboratory floor.

Danny bit back a curse as he collided hard with something that seemed to be immune to his intangibility, berating himself for failing to pay attention to his surroundings. His reflexes during field missions were becoming increasingly sloppy, an issue he would soon have to remedy. Just because he had once been intimately familiar with this building was no reason for lowering his defenses.

The ghost hunter was annoyed to realise that the object in question was a ghost, as twin ectoplasmic blasts began charging at his fists on instinct.

"What are you doing here?" Danny demanded. This was the last place he would have expected to find Skulker.

The spectre seemed equally surprised by Danny's presence, his glowing green eyes widening for a split second before his lips curled into a feral smirk.

"I swore that I would return to capture you," the hunter gloated, pleased by the unexpected turn of events. "a vow that I intend to keep."

"Get lost, Skulker." Phantom hissed, as the ectoplasmic blasts charging at his fists flared into life. "I don't have time for this."

Skulker had to be subdued before the idiot ghost gave their presence away to the Guys in White. Danny growled, mentally berating himself for leaving his thermos in his suite. Even though he was performing a reconnaissance mission, he should have had the foresight to predict that he would have needed the thermos.

"You fear discovery." Skulker smirked, eager for the prospect of challenge. "Rest assured, halfa, the humans are no match for me. I am the only hunter worthy to capture you."

Phantom merely glared in response as he contemplated the quickest way to subdue the spectre without alerting the Guys in White to their presence. But why was the ghost here, of all places? Skulker was stupid, but Danny had never thought the spectre was stupid enough to willingly enter the Guys in White's headquarters, effectively broadcasting himself to the radar of dozens of ghost hunters in a single building.

Although Danny wanted nothing more than to pummel Skulker into the ground for threatening Sam, he knew that doing so in the headquarters of ghost hunters would be beyond unwise. He did not have much faith in Skulker's intelligence, but perhaps the ghost would be open to negotiations.

"I have a proposition." He began, adjusting the stiff white material of his gloves.

Skulker's metallic eyes narrowed in distrust. "Why should I believe anything you say, halfa?"

"Attracting the attention of the Guys in White is only going to result in their interference." The ghost hunter explained. "If we take this fight out of their territory, then they are a threat to neither of us."

The spectre fingered the weapons attached to his wrist, distrust still evident on his features. "Do you swear that you will not flee like a coward?"

"According to this reputation of mine that you keep talking about, you know better than most that I am no coward."

The spectre folded his arms, deliberating if it was wise to trust his prey, especially one as formidable as Phantom.

"I'll even give you a head start." Danny grinned impishly. "Because we both know you'll need it."

"Hardly." The hunter retorted. "This battle suit is far more powerful than my last. You will meet your doom within moments, child."

"So I take it we've come to an agreement?" Phantom queried, cocking an eyebrow as he regarded his foe.

The ghost's shoulders stooped as he visibly relaxed. "Yes." Skulker conceded finally, deactivating his weapons.

Danny merely dematerialised in reply, reappearing in the ally where their last engagement had taken place. Even without teleportation abilities, Skulker would easily be able to access this location.

The ghost did not disappoint, as the whir of jets on his battle suit alerted Danny to his presence.

"Finally." Phantom breathed, massaging his knuckles. As much as he was looking forward to beating Skulker up again, there was no point prolonging this pointless encounter. He had to get back to his mission. Vindication would just have to wait.

The Phantom's lips quirked into a smirk of challenge. "Shall we begin?" He asked.

He could not quell a savage satisfaction as he noted the flicker of wariness present in the ghost's gaze. Skulker was _afraid_ of him. After the thorough trashing he had subjected the spectre to for hurting Sam, Danny wasn't surprised.

With a blinding flash, he materialised in the air next to Skulker, slamming his fist into the ghost's metallic jaw in a swift uppercut.

"I thought we agreed that I would deal the first blow." The ghost snarled.

"I lied." Danny stated simply, as frosty ectoplasm began charging at his fingertips. He thrust his fist deep into the torso of the battle suit, violently wrenching free any circuitry he encountered in his grasp. Skulker would not get far without his machinery. Hopefully, Valerie would soon be around to clear up his mess.

While Danny normally reveled in the rush of battle, beating up such an asinine adversary was low on his list of priorities.

"You're lucky I don't have time to deal with you." The ghost hunter growled, his white combat boots already leaving the ground as he teleported himself back to the exterior of Fenton Works.

He had already wasted enough time as it was.

The ghost hunter turned intangible, bypassing the few security measures active at the premises as he navigated his way through the once familiar building. A heavy, foreign sensation gripped his chest as he realised how much his home had changed since the last time he had seen it.

What had previously been the living room was now some form of an operation centre, complete with over a dozen Guys in White seated behind sterile, conformist desks performing various tasks, from administrative work to ghost surveillance. Danny had chosen the best possible time for infiltration, when the Guys in White's defenses were down. Yet, all Phantom could do was struggle to suppress an unexpected torrent of indignation and rage.

_'What the hell have they done to my house?'_

Satisfied that none of the lower level operatives were undertaking any particularly shady activities, the agent decided to move on. He didn't want to have to spend a moment longer in enemy quarters than he had to.

One of the huge disadvantages of this solo operation was the fact that Danny lacked surveillance equipment. Bugging the Guys in White's headquarters would have been a far surer method of exposing them. Without the support of his superiors, he was reduced to the primitive task of retrieving physical evidence from the ghost hunters' headquarters.

_'This must be the weapons vault.'_ He mused, mild curiosity overriding his initial disgust of the defilement of his home.

The ghost hunter wasn't surprised to note that many of the Guys in White's weapons of choice were already familiar to him. Many of the ecto-weapons present were based on designs conceptualized by his parents, while many others were inventions of Vlad's. The Guys in White clearly lacked skilled inventors, judging from the amount of anti-ghost artillery they had adopted from other organisations.

He raised an eyebrow as he noticed a preliminary model of one of Vlad's favourite inventions, the Plasmius Maximus, lying in a shipping crate together with a belt that looked suspiciously like the Spectre Deflector his father had invented three years ago, impressed that the Guys in White owned a version of one of his guardian's prized inventions. To say that the Plasmius Maximus was expensive would be a severe understatement. Vlad had sold less than a dozen of the device to other organisations. Perhaps the Guys in White did not squander the entirety of their funding maintaining the hygiene of their headquarters.

The Spectre Deflector definitely explained the absence of a ghost shield when he had entered the premises. He remembered that his father had built the Spectre Deflector from the core of Fenton Work's ghost shield, rendering it useless in the meantime. Due to the inventions' compatibility, Guys in White had obviously followed suit. Danny shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe the Guys in White were so incompetent that they were incapable of adapting a ghost shield to fit one of his father's inventions.

Wherever the Guys in White were taking the weapons, they were obviously planning something big. The ghost that they endeavored to face had to be immensely powerful to merit the usage of two such high powered anti-ghost devices. Whatever it was, Danny doubted that the Guys in White would be capable of dealing with it.

Phantom vaguely contemplated destroying all the weapons present in the vault, as vengeance for the ghost hunters' treatment of his partner, but decided against it. No matter how much he disliked the Guys in White, they were still ghost hunters, and he had no right to set them back, especially since their lack of weaponry might result in innocent civilians getting hurt.

Little did he know how dearly that mistake would cost him in the near future.

Leaving the weapons vault, Danny phased through the floors until he reached the basement, his parent's former laboratory and the heart of Fenton Works. The ghost hunter felt an unexpected uprising of sadness and remorse surge through his being as he regarded his surroundings, somehow unable to believe that this was where he had first gained his powers, where his family had died.

If he hadn't been inside the portal when the explosion had occurred, he too would be dead. Danny couldn't believe it had been three years since he had last been here. It seemed a lot smaller than it used to. Or perhaps he had grown up since then.

Staring down at the white gloves of his stealth suit, he felt like a completely different person. The only thing linking him to his former life was his friendship with Tucker and Sam.

He had always tried to convince himself that his new life, a life filled with ghost hunting and espionage, was far superior to his old one. But now that he was forced to face what he had left behind, he couldn't bring himself to deny how much he missed his parents.

Danny had always remembered the working surfaces constantly littered with Jack's unfinished snacks, despite his mother's admonitions to refrain from eating in the lab. The combined scent of chemicals and fudge constantly wafted through the rest of the building, a smell Danny still associated with home.

Now everything was just cold, artificial, sterile. He despised the Guys in White for ruining his home.

Danny felt a familiar icy resolve gripped him. He _would_ reclaim Fenton Works. Not for the sake of the mission, but for his own. The Guys in White never should have gotten their hands on it in the first place. There had been a time when he had wanted nothing more to do with his former house, but now, after realising how the Guys in White had desecrated his home, he wanted it back. It would be an insult to his parent's memory otherwise.

In his earlier distracted state, he had failed to notice the persistent plumes of blue mist escaping from his lips, as his ghost sense informed him that the levels of ectoplasmic energy in the headquarters of the Guys in White were the highest in Amity Park. Danny frowned, unsettled. This was the last thing he would have expected.

Perhaps the Guys in White were performing experiments on several powerful ghosts. That would be the most obvious explanation for the unexpected energy levels in the building. However, Danny had to doubt the credibility of his reasoning. The Guys in White were hardly competent enough to capture and detain one powerful ghost, let alone several.

There had to be another reason for the unexpected irregular spikes in ectoplasmic energy levels in the premises, and Danny was determined to find out what it was.

He closed his eyes, attempting to close in on the source of the ectoplasmic energy, a newfound wariness overriding his previously vindictive state. Never before had he been faced with such a massive surge of spectral energy that his ghost sense completely malfunctioned.

Phantom was brought back to his senses by the fluid metallic whir mechanical doors opening, coupled with a sudden, even greater increase of ectoplasmic energy. He trained his eyes to the source of the noise, fearing discovery. He could have sworn that the room only had one entrance. Whoever it was, he was going to have to stand his ground and fight.

The ghost hunter froze as his gaze met the sight of eerily familiar sliding doors parting, giving way to the ethereal whirlpool of green ectoplasm that was the ghost zone.

Danny barely suppressed a shudder as the cold realisation gripped him. The source of Amity Park's ghost attacks was the _Fenton Ghost Portal_.

**Author's Notes:** And the plot continues to thicken! **Metanoia** is going to be moving at a blink and you'll miss it speed the next few chapters, but hopefully that won't put you off reading. I'm actually kind of sad now that the end is in sight.

Isn't Vlad a sweetie? It's so fun to write him as a good guy. Also, I have the sequel completely mapped out on paper, and I'll be able to post the summary in a couple of chapters time, when I'm no longer in danger of spoiling the ending of **Metanoia** for you.

**Thanks to my awesome reviewers:** _Sasia93, b4k4 ch4n, cariadiorarua, Linda, hamanor12, FieryWitch, Secret Spy Guy, pearl84, yuuki, Black January, CharmedNightSkye, kia, Koccinelle, vladimir's disease, Rusting Roses_ and _YellowQueen_. Thanks for all your encouragement, and I'm sorry that I made you wait this long for an update:( You guys rock out loud!

Also, check out my new fanfic, **Romance For Rich Creepy Dimwits**, for more Vladdy goodnessXD

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	13. Consequences

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Danny Phantom.

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 13**

"Are you certain?" Vlad's distinctly accented voice crackled through the communicator. "Are you _absolutely_ certain?"

"Yeah." Danny replied shortly. "There's no mistaking the Fenton Ghost Portal."

The agent had been so swamped by the revelation that he had yet to reverse the transformation from Phantom to his human counterpart. Danny had to admit that he looked ridiculous. Ghost hunters of his caliber were not usually found slouching forlornly on beds in a foetal position, with their arms around a pillow. But right now, he didn't care. It wasn't like anyone was going to see him like this.

"If what you say is true, this is disastrous." Vlad massaged his temples. "Forgive me. I should have purchased Fenton Works the moment you moved out of there."

"It's not your fault, Vlad." Danny ascertained, trying to subdue the sick feeling in his stomach. "There's no way you could have known that the Fenton Portal would still be functional."

He couldn't believe that the reason behind the ghost attacks in Amity Park had been sitting in his _home_ the whole time. The concept was just unimaginable. The Fenton Ghost Portal, the invention responsible for everything that had happened to him, was also responsible for ruining the lives of everybody else in Amity Park for the past three years.

Vlad grimaced, unconvinced. "I suppose not."

"We have more important things to worry about." Phantom's brilliant green eyes narrowed.

"Agreed." The veteran spy's expression mirrored Danny's. "What did the portal look like?"

"Kind of like ours." Danny shrugged. "But smaller. It didn't even have a security code on it."

"Really?" Vlad raised an elegant eyebrow. "Most unlike the Guys in White. Could it be possible that they are unaware of its usage?"

"Probably." Danny's ice blue eyes narrowed. "They either destroy their captures or keep them in ridiculously inefficient containment devices."

"Did you manage to record any evidence of the portal in operation?" Vlad queried, taking a sip of his Earl Grey.

Suddenly, having the one person he trusted implicitly question his word was more than Danny could handle. He felt indescribably _angry_. Angry at the incompetence of the Guys in White, that they had not yet managed to notice that the source of Amity Park's ghost attack was right under their noses. Angry at Vlad for his disbelief. Angry at Val for her previous treatment of Phantom. Angry that Sam preferred his alias over his human counterpart, jealously fueling his rage. And most of all, angry at himself for deceiving everyone around him.

"You don't believe me, do you?" Danny lashed out. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I'm telling the truth?"

"I am on your side, Daniel." Vlad Masters roared, his eyes flaring crimson. "I never doubted your word for a minute."

"Then why are you asking for physical evidence?" The ghost hunter yelled, his glowing green eyes matching the glares of his mentor stead for stead.

"For god's sakes Agent Phantom, stop acting like a petulant child." The veteran agent bellowed. "Do you really believe for a moment that the higher authorities will accept the presence of another ghost portal based merely on the unfounded intelligence of a new recruit?"

"No." Danny maintained, faltering. "But-"

"But _what_ Daniel?" Vlad countered. "Your gifts do not make you appear superior in the eyes of Caleb Jones. You are just another agent to him. Having an indulgent benefactor does not ensure the rest of the CIA views you in higher esteem."

"I'm not asking him to view me in higher esteem." Danny argued. "I'm asking _you_. If you tell the higher authorities that the Guys in White have a ghost portal, they're sure to take your word for it."

"I don't know." Vlad replied wryly. "The spymaster and I have never been on the best of terms."

Now that his previous fury was spent, guilt for shouting at Vlad began creeping into the pit of Danny's stomach.

_'How much more of a jerk could I possibly be?'_

"I'm being stupid." Danny apologised, slumping further into the soft comfort of his bed. "None of this is your fault. It's all mine. This evening's been a huge shock to me, and I'm sorry I took it out on you Vlad." He finished, somewhat lamely.

"You are forgiven, Daniel." Vlad replied gruffly, quaffing the last of his tea with unusually crude demeanor. "Your anger towards the situation is understandable."

"Not really." Danny shrugged. "I could have taken it a lot better."

"What I don't understand is why you didn't see fit to inform me of this mission." His mentor grumbled.

"My infiltration wasn't exactly legitimate." Danny apologised. "I was afraid that I would get you into trouble if I was captured."

"Even in your moment of irrationality, you should have realised that you stood a far lower chance of being captured if you had included me in the infiltration." Vlad's sharp gaze cut through his vision, and Danny felt a familiar stab of guilt as his benefactor's words hit home.

For the past two months, all he had done was lie to Sam and Tucker. Especially Sam. He couldn't believe how badly he had handled the situation between her and Phantom. Danny had never been completely honest with Valerie either, especially regarding the identity of her partner. Now, he had chosen to deceive Vlad. He just wanted the mission to be over so he could return to Wisconsin and pretend none of this mess had ever happened.

"I apologise for my insubordination, Agent Masters." The agent averted his gaze, not wanting to meet his mentor's eyes. "I will remove myself from this assignment if you see fit."

"Do not be a fool, Daniel." Vlad snorted. "Why on earth would I remove you from this mission when you're the only one capable of gathering the evidence we require to incriminate the Guys in White?" His benefactor raised an eyebrow, amused.

"You're not making me come back to Wisconsin?" Danny looked up, surprise evident on his features.

"Absolutely not." Vlad maintained. "You are to commence the infiltration tomorrow evening."

"Great." The veteran agent's statement was matched with a hardened look of icy determination, as his apprentice's ethereal green gaze met his own, eager for payback. "So what's the plan?"

-

Danny groaned as he was jerked roughly from the comfort of sleep by the annoying beeping of his alarm clock. Today could possibly the worst day in the history of his life. According to Vlad, it was imperative that he went to school to keep up appearances, but Danny didn't really see the point, especially since he would be leaving Amity Park as soon as the mission was over.

The impending doom of the day ahead was reason enough to get Danny out of bed. He just wanted this day to be over. Somehow, facing the machine that had almost killed him and murdered his family seemed less painful than having to face Sam and Tucker at school before abandoning them all over again, just like he had done three years ago. They deserved far better friends than jerks like him. Pulling on a simple shirt and a pair of black combat trousers, he started getting ready for school.

At least returning to Casper High would give him one last chance to speak to Sam before he left. If one good thing had come out of this screwed up mission, it was the opportunity to get to know Sam and Tucker again. They had been great friends to him, and he was sorry that he was just going to walk out of their lives once more. At least he still had Valerie and Vlad. He would _always_ have Valerie and Vlad. Danny didn't know what he would do without his partner and his benefactor.

Stepping into the kitchen, the ghost hunter sniffed the air appreciatively, the heady aroma of brewing coffee was definitely helping to ease his mood, as he poured himself a generous mug of the dark liquid.

He had no clue what he was going to say to Sam and Tucker. Perhaps it was best that he didn't tell them, especially since he had no idea how they would react. Besides, he was looking forward to one final day of normality, before he was forced to return to his new life as a ghost hunter. Danny was especially reluctant to accept that this would be the last day he would ever spend with Sam. Although he knew that duty would prevent him from ever securing a true relationship with her, it felt wrong just to leave her hanging, especially after that kiss he had stolen from her as Phantom.

To make matters worse, he had promised Sam a visit from his alias.

Danny groaned at the memory of his sheer stupidity, pushing his messy dark hair out of his eyes. He was just going to have to appear at Manson Estate later that evening as Phantom and tell Sam that he could never see her again. There was no other way around the matter. He had screwed up, and he was going to have to break Sam's heart to clear up his own mess.

What had he been thinking? Even though he had technically been suspended from the mission by Vlad when he had initiated the relationship, he should have known that things would never have worked out between them. Especially since half the ghost zone would probably give anything to have him killed. If Phantom's enemies were to ever find out about Sam, she would be endangered for life.

Danny hated himself. He never should have revealed Phantom to Sam in the first place. Now, his crush had fallen for his alter ego. He had already placed Sam in inescapable danger once before. Danny knew that if he continued this relationship, the incident with Skulker would only be the first of many. To make matters worse, he wasn't even going to be in town long enough to defend her from future attacks.

He glanced down at his nearly depleted mug of caffeine. Hot and strong, the only way coffee was ever meant to be. Danny had always been something of a self admitted coffee addict, a trait that ran in the family. However, his parents had never quite understood Danny's preference of having his with no milk, as black as he could get it.

Ever since the accident in Fenton Works three years ago, human dosages of drugs seemed to have lost their effect on him, with the unfortunate inclusion of caffeine and alcohol, forcing him to up his dosage of caffeine to inhuman quantities. He supposed that was why Vlad lived off tea. The veteran agent probably had to drink a dozen cups to feel the slightest effects of caffeine.

The ghost hunter gulped down the dark liquid, smirking as he recalled an incident at Dalv Enterprises regarding a certain squadron member who had once decided to nick his mug of coffee. The unexpected overload of caffeine to his system had resulted in the unfortunate ghost hunter constantly scrambling to the bathroom to seek relief for an entire morning of training.

To Danny's amusement, Vlad Masters had been rendered less than pleased with his employee's performance. Needless to say, the incident had never been repeated. Teaching rookies never to touch his coffee was always a lesson Danny enjoyed.

He started as the ridiculously ornate grandfather clock in the corner of the lounge began chiming. It was eight o'clock. Danny sighed, shoving his mug into the dishwasher. Breakfast would just have to wait. It was time for school.

Turning invisible, he disappeared in a bright flash of white light, reappearing in the boy's locker room at Casper High. Danny was grateful for the increased range of his teleportation abilities, especially since this particular gift had saved him from the wrath of Lancer on more than one occasion. It appeared that Vlad was right about him learning faster on field missions and in times of heightened emotion.

Convinced that the coast was clear, he materialised behind a cubicle, joining the rest of his peers in the hallway. It felt wrong, how this was the last time he would ever travel to school at Casper High. Frowning, Danny chewed his bottom lip. He would enjoy this final day with Sam and Tucker, without worrying about what was to come later that evening. He had plenty of time to consider the mission after school.

"Morning Danny." Sam grinned, as Tucker yawned in greeting.

"Hey." Danny replied, retrieving several heavy textbooks from his locker.

The ghost hunter forced himself to suppress the sudden uprising of guilt that threatened to overcome him at the sight of his friends. It seemed strange, the vivid amount of detail he was suddenly taking in that he had never noticed before, such as the worn seam at the edge of Tucker's beret, or the exact shade of purple lacquered onto Sam's slender fingernails. He inhaled slowly, the familiar soft scent of Sam's perfume invading his senses. It pained him that this would be the last time he would ever be close enough to smell her perfume.

"Busy day ahead?" Tucker quipped, noticing his friend's uncharacteristic discontent.

"You have no idea." Danny replied gloomily.

"That bad, huh." Sam teased, pushing herself off his shoulders to give herself a large enough boost to tousle his hair in an affectionate gesture.

"How does Nasty Burger after school sound?" Tucker offered.

"Yeah." Sam agreed, grinning. "My treat."

"That sounds great." Danny returned the grin, but faltered as he remembered the infiltration he had to perform after school. "But I've got something I need to take care of after school. Maybe next time."

Not that there would ever be a next time.

"Sure." Tucker shrugged, puzzled by his friend's downbeat behavior. It wasn't like Danny to act so depressed.

"You okay?" Sam queried, concerned.

"I'm fine." Danny replied as he attempted to reassure her with a smile. But it was difficult for him to be genuine through the guilt of how badly he was going to screw her over later that evening. After tonight, she would have every right to hate him. Both human and ghost hunter.

Sam sensed his insincerity in a heartbeat.

"What's wrong Danny?" The Goth grabbed his arm, forcing him to look into her eyes. "I know something is bothering you."

"It's nothing." He maintained, shrugging free from her grasp.

"It's not nothing." She insisted, refusing to release the fabric of his shirt from her grasp. "You're hurting, and I want to know why."

"It's just stuff about Fenton Works." He conceded dully.

At least there was some truth in that statement. Danny didn't know if he could bring himself to lie to her again. He was sick of the pretense and deception. All he wanted was to tell Sam the truth about everything. About who he really was. About what he was doing back in Amity Park. And most importantly, how he felt about her. Sam deserved better than the pathetic half truths he had to offer.

It wasn't like he had any reason left to remain here. The mission had practically collapsed on itself. The ghost hunter couldn't believe that he had been so stupid. Now, it seemed so obvious that the Fenton Portal had been responsible for the ridiculously high ectoplasmic energy levels at Amity Park. His family- _he_ was to blame for everything that the town had gone through in the past three years.

He didn't know how he would ever make it up to the citizens of Amity Park for all the damage he had ever caused to the town. If Sam and Tucker were to ever find out, would they hate him? Perhaps it would be easier to leave if he knew that he was despised by them. But somehow, the mere concept of Sam hating him was too much to bear.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tucker offered, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Are the Guys in White still refusing to give Fenton Works back to you?" Sam demanded, her pretty lavender eyes flashing.

"Vlad's having a hard time sorting out the legal issues." Danny shrugged noncommittally.

"Do you need better lawyers?" Sam's gaze hardened. "Because you can use some of my family's if you're having trouble suing."

"It's not that." Danny reassured. "Everything's fine. Me and Vlad will work it out."

"Are you sure?" She insisted. "Because you know that me and Tucker are always here for you. No matter what."

"Yeah-"

"Hey, _Fenton_!"

Danny froze, swearing under his breath. Dash Baxter and his cronies were the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. The agent was in no mood to keep up appearances, especially when maintaining his cover included getting beaten up by a stupid quarterback that he could tear in half in a single move. At least in the past few years he had grown too tall to be stuffed into lockers.

Tucker, sensing danger, spontaneously relocated himself to behind Sam as his self preservation instincts kicked in.

"What now, Dash?" The ghost hunter stood his ground, willing the quarterback to get it over with. The less time he spent in Dash's presence, the less likely he was to pummel the arrogant popular boy into the ground. Unsurprisingly, he just didn't have the energy to deal with the bully today.

"Your legal guardian is Vlad Masters, isn't it?" The football player drawled, massaging his knuckles menacingly. "The billionaire."

"So what if he is?" The ghost hunter glared, wary of the quarterback's new approach.

"Even with all that money, he's still unmarried, isn't he?"

"How is this any of your business?" The agent countered, the beginnings of a new wave of anger simmering at the the pit of his stomach.

"How much does he pay you?"

"What are you implying?" Danny demanded, icy cerulean eyes narrowing, although he knew fully well what the quarterback was insinuating.

_'Oh God.'_ Sam's breath hitched in her throat in mounting apprehension, sensing impending disaster. Considering her crush's current mood and the recent revelation of Danny's superior combat abilities, there was no way this would end well.

"I figured he can't be straight. The only reason a billionaire like him would take in a loser like you was in exchange for certain... _favours._" Dash sneered, his insult coupled with the raucous laughter of the other football players.

"Shut up Dash." Tucker warned, in an uncharacteristic display of defiance.

Danny's breathing was harsh, irregular, as he clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked, his fingernails digging painfully into the palm of his hand. Sam softly placed a hand on her crush' forearm, willing him not to lash out at the quarterback. In his current state of mind, Danny hardly noticed it.

"Don't do anything stupid." Sam cautioned, murmuring into his ear. "He's not worth it."

"Take that back." Danny demanded, his voice barely above a whisper, and for no more than a millisecond, Sam could have sworn that his eyes flared a frightening shade of bright green as Danny snatched his arm from her grip.

The Goth wasn't the only one who had noticed the sudden change in Danny's demeanor. Several of the quarterbacks started at the pure fury lacing the ghost hunter's voice. Dash, however, seemed completely unaffected by the waves of angry rage Danny seemed to be exuding, shrugging away the hand Kwan had placed on his shoulder as a warning to back off.

"So tell us Fenton," The quarterback smirked. "What's it like being bottom boy to a billionaire?"

Danny was upon him even before the words were fully out of his mouth.

The halfa's first punch threw the quarterback halfway across the hall, crashing against the lockers with a sickening crunch. The quarterback yelped in surprise as he was thrust into the air, not expecting an attack of this magnitude. Sam winced, as several of the onlookers screamed. Dash would be suffering some serious broken bones at the very least.

"What the-" Tucker started, shock evident as he regarded the inhuman distance in which Danny had managed to hurl Dash in a single blow.

The quarterback's lower lip was raw and bloody where Danny's fist had connected with his face, and his knee appeared to be badly dislocated, having bent backwards on itself.

Sam had always viewed Dash and the rest of the popular kids as an annoyance, as superficial thorns in her side. Her stance regarding Paulina in particular had always been violent to say the least. Over the years, the Goth's attitude towards Dash had fluctuated between all ranges in the spectrum of mild indifference to hate.

But Sam never thought she would regard the quarterback before her with pity. Somehow, it didn't seem real, as she watched with morbid fascination the unnatural way in which Dash's leg had twisted itself. She and Dash had never gotten on, right from the very beginning. So why didn't she feel even the slightest bit glad that the quarterback was finally getting what he deserved?

Perhaps it was because Danny's uncharacteristic violent rage was turning him into something he was not. She had always wanted to get her own back at Dash, but not if it was to Danny's detriment. Somehow, Sam knew from the sick feeling in her stomach that if she allowed Danny to throw another punch at Dash, he would be passing a point in his life that he would never be able to return to. She couldn't let him cross that line.

"Danny, stop this." Sam cried, spreading her arms as she shielded Dash's prone form. "You've made your point. He's never going to bother you again."

"Danny!" Valerie Gray yelled, dashing towards the direction of the screams. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What I should have done months ago." Vlad's apprentice growled, advancing towards the quarterback for his second assault.

"Stop it!" Sam pleaded, digging her heels into the tiled floor as she and Tucker struggled to restrain him. "You'll kill him."

He was frightening strong, advancing towards Dash despite the pair's desperate attempts to stop him, shrugging them off as though they were nothing more than minor annoyances. Even discounting the impossible distance that Danny had managed to hurl dash, Sam could not subdue the icy dread in her stomach that something was very wrong. Never before had she ever seen Danny Fenton subjected to such impertinent rage.

"Have you lost your mind?" Valerie demanded, grabbing his wrists in a practiced technique of immobilisation.

The ghost hunter adverted his gaze to meet his partner's eyes, and Valerie was stunned by the murderous intent that exuded from his being. She took a step back, unable to comprehend what had pushed klutzy, docile Danny Fenton to such an act of violence on another human being.

"You can pick on me all you want, but leave Vlad out of it!" Danny raged, completely oblivious to the screams from spectators that filled the hallway as he continued to approach the quarterback.

'_That would explain things.'_ Valerie raised an eyebrow, unsure if she should laugh or cry. The ghost hunter knew that if she had been placed in the same situation, she probably would have reacted identically to Danny. Vlad Masters had his apprentices' implicit loyalty.

Nonetheless, her partner had to be stopped before he did something that he would regret for the rest of his life. Although Valerie Gray would not be much help against a rampaging halfa, the Red Hunter was a different matter. Especially since Danny had been provoked into using his abilities.

"Where are you going?" Tucker yelled, a note of hysteria in his voice as Valerie abruptly turned on her heels and sprinted across the hallway, reluctant to allow one of the only people who could succeed in calming Danny down to disappear from their line of vision.

"To get help." Valerie shouted in reply, dashing into an empty classroom at the far side of the hall.

She might have no idea what had occurred in the last twenty four hours that had managed to invoke the unfamiliar, aggressive side to her partner that she had never before encountered, but she did have some inkling of how she was going to stop him. The ghost hunter activated her battle suit, allowing the red alloyed metal to encase her body as she tumbled deftly out of the window, throwing her weight onto the barely assembled jet sled that emerged from her combat boots.

Mere moments later, the Red Hunter appeared from the opposite end of the corridor, coupled by the whir of her jet sled. Valerie had to admit that it had been far from the most subtle of transitions, but in her peers' current state of panic, she highly doubted anyone would have been capable of putting two and two together, that Valerie Gray was in actual fact the Red Hunter. Besides, it was imperative that she got to Danny before he did anything stupid.

Gathering speed, she sped towards her best friend, charging at him in mid air. The sheer force from the attack sent the pair hurtling forwards despite Danny's attempts to resist her as they collapsed together on the floor in a heap at the end of the hallway, with the Red Hunter pinning him to the ground in a rugby tackle that would have made Vlad very proud.

"Get off me, Red." Danny growled, his eyes flashing. "This isn't any of your business."

"You're harming an innocent civilian. I'm _making _it my business." Valerie countered, glaring.

Even with the enhanced abilities of her battle suit, Valerie knew that she would not be able to keep him down forever, even in human form. It didn't seem fair, how quickly her best friend's abilities had progressed, while she had already reached the peak of her abilities with the battle suit.

"Danny." She pleaded, as she struggled to regain the grip on her partner's right arm that he had managed to break. "You _have_ to calm down."

Her persuasion seemed to have the desired effect on Danny, who relaxed in her grip, his fury nearly spent.

"_Agent Phantom_." His partner coaxed, as she pressed her lips to his ear. "Stand down."

Had the situation not been so serious, she would have laughed at the manner in which Danny's eyes widened in astonishment as she uttered his alias.

"You know?" Danny's lips curved into a wry smile. Suddenly, reality seemed to be moving too fast for him to follow. At the moment, he didn't even have the energy to be properly surprised. "Have you always-"

"I realised yesterday." The Red Hunter shook her head. "But I guess deep down I always knew."

"I've screwed up, haven't I?" Danny glanced at Dash's bloodied form, his voice bitter. He couldn't believe that he had just attacked a civilian, an innocent schoolboy. Well, perhaps Dash was not altogether innocent of the blame.

"Not necessarily." His partner pointed out, releasing Danny from her grip. "We could pretend that you were overshadowed."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Danny massaged his knuckles as he sat up, grimacing has he noticed they were smeared with Dash's blood, from where his fist had connected with the quarterback's face. "That was beyond stupid."

"Maybe just a little." The Red Hunter laughed. "He had it coming, though."

"Where's the ghost threat?" Danny started, only just taking in that his best friend had changed into her battle suit.

"You _were_ the ghost threat." Valerie Gray laughed at the indignant expression on Danny's features. "Now pretend to attack me. We have to make this look convincing."

"You know I don't hit girls." Danny deadpanned, the beginnings of a grin forming on his features.

"But you'll pummel oafs like him who are more vulnerable than me?" Valerie jibed, gesturing towards Dash.

"Ouch." Danny grimaced. "Can't say that I didn't deserve that."

"Just shut up and hit me." Valerie mounted her jet sled. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get you out of this huge hole you've dug yourself into."

The halfa complied, leaping to the air as he released two weak ecto blasts in the general direction of his friend, which she easily avoided.

The crowd of onlookers gasped, and Danny could practically sense the mounting confusion among his peers as he levitated in the air above them.

"What's happening?" Sam screamed, as she and Tucker ran towards the pair engaged in combat.

Everyone is to evacuate the premises immediately." The Red Hunter declared, charging her ecto blaster. "He's been overshadowed."

The onlookers were quick to oblige, rapidly emptying the hallway, stunned by the recent turn of events. Apart from Sam and Tucker. Valerie shook her head, torn between annoyance and amusement. At times like these, it seemed almost unfortunate that Danny had managed to find himself such loyal friends.

"Is Danny going to be okay?" Sam demanded, pushing her way through the mass of people heading in the opposite direction.

"He'll be fine." The Red Hunter reassured. "_You_ on the other hand, have to leave. I can't protect you and attempt to detain a ghost at the same time."

"I'm not leaving Danny." The Goth insisted. "What if-"

"Everything is under control." The ghost hunter asserted. "Every minute you stand here arguing with me is just putting Danny in more danger."

"But-" Sam protested, faltering.

"Please. Just go." Valerie maintained. "I promise I'll bring him back safely."

"Come on." Tucker urged, gently tugging her towards the direction of the exit. "The Red Hunter knows what she's doing."

"Thanks, autograph boy." The Red Hunter grinned, blowing a kiss in the techno geek's direction. "I owe you one."

Tucker flushed scarlet, practically stopping in his tracks. His crush laughed, her amusement spurring the techno geek to make an even hastier exit, despite the protests on Sam's part.

"You shouldn't be flirting with Tucker." Danny chided, the moment he was certain his friends were out of earshot. "I was worried they were going to recognise you."

"No way." Valerie laughed. "That was impressive acting on my part." She grinned, removing her helmet now that the last of the civilians had finally evacuated the premises.

"Autograph boy?" Danny snorted. "And I thought _Tucker's_ pick up lines were bad."

"Oh shut up." Valerie blushed, turning her ecto blaster down to the lowest setting as she released a beam of energy at her best friend. "Now we're even." She grinned, changing the subject.

"What was that for?" Her partner yelped, indignant.

"_That._" The Red Hunter smirked, ecto blaster smoking. "Was for keeping me in the dark all this time."

"I said I was sorry." Her partner protested, throwing in his wide eyed puppy dog look for good measure. "We just got off on the wrong foot and I didn't want to tell you in case it made things awkward between us. I _like_ having you for a best friend, Val."

Valerie laughed. "Right back at you, pretty boy."

"So we're cool?" Danny queried tentatively as he favoured his best friend with an apologetic look, wary of Valerie's usage of the derogatory term usually inflicted on his ghost half.

"Definitely." Valerie grinned, pulling her partner into a crushing hug.

Her glance flickered towards the now unconscious quarterback at the other end of the hall. Judging from his injuries, it didn't look like Dash would be playing football anytime soon. "We need to call an ambulance." She stated, as Danny flushed, adverting his gaze.

"If it makes you feel any better, I probably would have done the same thing." She reassured, grinning. "Dash is a jerk, and we both know it."

"That doesn't make my behavior acceptable." Danny grimaced. "I've just been having a really bad day."

"Take the rest of today off." Valerie suggested. "You have a long day ahead of you."

Her partner shook his head. "This is the last day I'll ever spend in Casper High. I want to be here."

"You could always come back and visit." Valerie reassured, tousling her best friend's hair. "It's not like you'll never get to see Sam again."

Danny shrugged. Even if he could, he wasn't sure if he ever _wanted_ to see Sam again. The prospect seemed far too painful, especially after the crap he was about to put her through later that evening. His partner, sensing his misery, did not pursue the subject.

"Come on." Valerie sighed, grabbing hold of her best friend's hand. "We should go before they realise that I haven't been registered during the evacuation."

"Yeah." Danny nodded, turning the pair invisible. "I'll teleport us to the evacuation grounds."

"And Phantom?" The Red Hunter added, tightening her grip on her best friend's arm. "Whatever Vlad has put you up to tonight, promise me you'll be careful."

**Author's Notes: **I apologise for how long it took me to update, but I have been so incredibly busy. It wasn't even a particularly long chapter, so I don't even have a good excuse. Nevertheless, I hope that you will forgive me. Thanks go to Sasia93 for getting my butt in gear to update. I'm amazed that our mutual updating pact actually worked.

**Many thanks to: **_Hopeful Wings, __Alchemistress__, Queen Coke, yuuki, kia, __Twilight-Phantom66__, cera meia, __FieryWitch__b4k4 ch4n__, dannyfan101, __Henshi-anichan, __FantomoDrako, __Black January, __cariadiorarua__, Secret Spy Guy, __katiesparks__, CharmedNightSkye, __Koccinelle _and _The Big Red Fish_ for your awesome reviews. You guys are great. I have the most fantastic readers.

Thanks for sticking with me and I hope that you enjoyed the chapter!

And remember, ladies and gentlemen, reviews make my day. Especially since I have the most appalling hit to review ratio. The more my reviewers motivate me, the faster I update. Hit that button. You know you want to:)

**Hugs and Kisses,**

**Twisted Creampuff**


	14. Misery

I'm so sorry about the long wait, you guys!

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Danny Phantom

**Metanoia **

**Chapter 14**

Danny sat alone in his bedroom, once again reliving the events of that morning. The ghost hunter had drawn the curtains in his normally well lit room, the gloom of his surroundings mirroring his dark mood as he dully considered the black fury that had threatened to overcome him.

He had assaulted Dash, possibly causing irreversible injury to the quarterback in the process. He'd never be able to forgive himself if he had left Dash unable to play football for the rest of his life. No matter how much he despised the bully, Dash was still a civilian, a member of society that he had sworn to protect when he had first decided to join Dalv Enterprises.

It disgusted the ghost hunter, how little control he had over his own abilities. He had been apprenticed to Vlad for three years now, and he was still a danger to himself, and worse, everyone else around him. Although he was now easily his mentor's equal in terms of strength, Vlad's protégé knew he had a long way to go before he could even hope to equal his benefactor. It was unfortunate that raw strength wasn't all that was required to serve the higher authorities.

He had no idea where all the pent up aggression had come from; Danny hadn't even been aware that he was capable of keeping so much rage and frustration bottled up inside without him noticing. The ghost hunter had always thought himself a fairly positive person. The unbridled violence with which he had responded to Dash's mockery had proved him wrong.

Yet, the agent had to admit that he was intrigued. Ever since he had been recruited, Danny had never seriously considered if he would be capable of murder. But now, he no longer felt that killing another human being was beyond him, especially after the fervor with which he had attacked Dash earlier that day. It was almost pathetic, how fragile normal human beings were. If Val hadn't been there to subdue him, Dash Baxter would have indisputably been dead.

His aversion to murder had always been a hurdle that Danny wasn't sure he would ever be able to overcome under the service of the higher authorities. Although he knew that Vlad would never allow him to accept a mission that he didn't feel comfortable with, the agent now felt that he was fully capable of taking on any assassinations the government felt fit to assign him. It almost scared him, the ease with which he knew would would be capable of disposing of his targets. With a multitude of spectral abilities to choose from, his victims wouldn't stand a fighting chance against him. Not that he would allow them any mercy.

Vlad's protégé's eyes widened, stunned by his own brutality. It had never before occurred to him how much he had changed during his time at Amity Park. Despite the emotional anguish caused by returning to the town of his parent's deaths, Danny was glad that he had accepted the assignment. He was definitely a far more capable agent now than he had been three months ago.

The ghost hunter's morose train of thought was broken as the ringing of his cell phone came to his attention. The agent flipped open his phone, allowing a smile to cross his features as he took note of the caller ID. Trust Valerie to check up on him the moment school was over. Sometimes, he didn't know what he would do without her.

"Hey," he greeted, picking up the call. "Calling to check if I'm still alive?"

"Yeah," his best friend replied jokingly, and Danny didn't need to be able to see her to make out the expression on her face. "How are holding up?"

"Not too badly," the halfa shrugged. "How's Dash?"

"Pretty badly beat up," Valerie winced. "But he'll live. I doubt there'll be any lasting damage."

"I'm an idiot," the agent bit his lower lip, previous good mood rapidly disintegrating.

"No, you're not," his partner asserted firmly. "I would've done the same thing. Dash was a jerk, and we both know it."

"But I shouldn't have let myself stoop to his level," Danny grimaced.

"I was there when he came to," Valerie laughed. "And I told him that if he ever insulted Vlad Masters again, an enraged overshadowed boy would be the least of his worries."

Despite his sober mood, the half ghost's lips quirked into a smile as he imagined the look on the quarterback's face. "Thanks, Val."

"Anytime, pretty boy."

"Promise me you won't tell Vlad," Danny's brow furrowed. "He's not going to take it well if he discovers I've been assaulting civilians."

"No problem," Valerie chirped. "_You_ will. Look at it this way, it'll be worse if he finds out on his own."

"Vlad's always so busy," Danny bargained, silently cursing the fact that his wide eyed puppy dog stare didn't work over the phone. "It might never come to his attention."

"I don't think he'll get too mad. Besides, it was sweet of you to defend his honour," Valerie paused, as if reevaluating the statement. "In a weird, twisted way."

"You don't leave me with a lot of options," The ghost hunter sighed. "What do Sam and Tucker think?"

"They seemed to buy that you were overshadowed, but I told them to give you a bit of space. You'll probably need it, anyway. You don't have much time left to get ready for whatever Vlad's put you up to."

"It could be worse," Danny conceded dully.

"It's cute Sam cares so much for you," Valerie teased. "Make sure you keep in contact."

"I doubt she's going to want to talk to me after that stunt I pulled today," Danny shrugged. "Maybe it's best we just pretend I was never assigned this mission."

"It definitely qualified as a dramatic exit," his partner grinned. "But seriously," Valerie continued, her tone abruptly sober. "None of us think any less of you because of what happened today."

"They don't know the truth," Danny pointed out morosely.

"And they're never going to find out, so stop worrying about it," Valerie asserted firmly. "Would you like me to come over? You sound like you could use the company," his best friend offered, her voice softening.

"Thanks Val," Danny maintained. "But I'm fine. Like you said, I don't have much time to get ready for recon."

Although in actual fact Danny had already spent the past few hours calibrating his surveillance devices to the instructions Vlad had left him, he knew that he had to leave himself enough time to visit Manson Estate before he commenced his infiltration of the Guys in White's headquarters. He owed Sam at the very least a proper goodbye. As much as it would hurt, he would never be able to forgive himself he didn't at least try to straighten things out between them. Even though he couldn't bear to face Sam with his human half, Phantom was obligated to inform her that he was leaving, after the indecorous kiss he had claimed from her in what seemed like an eternity ago.

"I'll leave you in peace, then," Valerie laughed. "Don't screw up tonight."

"Your faith in me is astounding," Danny chuckled dryly. "Have fun on patrol."

"Don't I always?" His best friend grinned, ending the call.

He supposed he should inform Vlad, and get it over and done with. Returning to his room, he retrieved his communicator, entering his mentor's identification code with practiced ease. Settling himself on his bed, he leaned against a wall, waiting for Vlad to pick up the transmission. In all honesty, Danny wasn't entirely sure how the billionaire would react to the news. Nevertheless, Danny could not deny that a small part of him hoped that Vlad would support his actions. He had, after all, been defending his benefactor's honour when he had assaulted Dash.

Danny started as the communicator screen abruptly flickered to life, jolting him out of his train of thought. The agent had been half hoping that Vlad would be busy.

"Hey Vlad," the younger halfa greeted.

"Ah, Daniel. I was expecting your correspondence," his mentor smiled, setting down his porcelain teacup on its saucer. "I trust that you are ready for the infiltration?"

"Yeah," Danny replied. "I've already calibrated all the equipment as per your instructions."

"I'm glad you're prepared," Vlad nodded approvingly. "Was there anything in particular that you wanted to discuss?"

"Actually, yes," Danny began, steeling himself before he lost his nerve. "I attacked a jock in school today," he informed bluntly.

"You _what?"_ His benefactor's eyes widened in surprise, discountenance evident. His apprentice was hardly one to pick fights with civilians.

"He was rude about you, so I punched him," the agent stated simply. Let Vlad draw his own conclusions from the news. At least he didn't seem to be getting angry.

"I imagine you were overzealous in your assault," the billionaire favoured Danny with a pointed look. "You wouldn't be telling me this otherwise."

"Yeah," Danny winced. He wasn't about to reveal the true extent of Dash's injuries to the veteran spy. "Valerie said that he's going to be okay, but maybe I did hit him a little too hard."

"I would have thought you'd be above losing control of your abilities with such minor provocation," Vlad chided, his expression torn between disappointment and amusement, as though unable to decide between the two emotions. "Nevertheless, what's done is done. We must look towards your assignment for this evening."

"Vlad?" His apprentice looked up, unsure. "I really need to ask you something."

"Anything, Daniel," Vlad replied, curiosity evident on his features.

Danny took a deep breath, steadying himself for his question. "When you were on the field, did you ever... kill anyone?"

"A morbid question considering your current mission is merely recon," his mentor raised an elegant eyebrow. "What has prompted the query?"

"Nothing," Danny's fingers curled into fists as he recalled the violent fury that had overcome him mere hours before, when Dash had dealt the brutal insult on his benefactor. "Because I'm ready. If I get told to assassinate someone, I'm pretty sure I could do it."

His benefactor stiffened, hunching his shoulders as though a great weight had suddenly been thrust upon him. His expression grew weary, as he prepared himself for the conversation with his apprentice that he had been dreading for years. "Never unless absolutely necessary," Vlad sighed. "Murder is not something to be taken lightly."

"Obviously not," his apprentice hastened to add. "It's wrong. But what if the higher authorities assign you an assassination? If I had to kill to stop innocent civilians getting hurt, there's no way I'm holding back."

"Attacking in anger as you did today is a lot easier than setting out with the intention of murder." The deep blue of Vlad's gaze regarded Danny, its intensity cold and sobering. "With assassinations, your every move must be planned with hairline precision. A far cry from roughing up an obnoxious member of your peers."

"I know all this," Danny insisted. "But with my powers, there's no way I can get caught. Surveillance devices are useless against me."

"No matter how unconventional the methods, assassinations can always be traced back to the agent that performed the task," Vlad's pursed his lips, frowning. "And if it is, the higher authorities will not necessarily shield you from vengeful syndicates."

"They won't have to," the agent's gaze hardened. "Because there's no way they'll ever catch me."

"I am all too aware how easy it is to kill with our abilities," Vlad massaged his temples, as though reliving countless bad memories. "Basic intangibility is all that is required, to reach into someone's chest, and remove any of several vital organs."

Danny nodded wordlessly, as the veteran agent's previous statement sunk in, unsure what to say. His benefactor's expression softened, and the agent felt an embarrassing longing to be face to face with Vlad, so that the older halfa could tousle his hair in the manner that usually annoyed him.

"I never wanted this for you, Daniel," Vlad shook his head. "I cannot bear to allow you to make the same mistakes I did."

"I know you do," his apprentice replied, voice unwavering. "I just thought I'd tell you that I'm ready to serve the authorities however they require."

Vlad looked as though he was about to speak, but decided against it, bringing the delicate china to his lips.

"We will discuss this in greater length when you return," The veteran agent conceded reluctantly. "Perhaps now is not the best time to be having this discussion."

"Yeah," Danny shrugged. "We'll talk about this later."

"Very well," Vlad smiled, the lines of worry lifting from his visage. "I look forward to the intelligence that you will gather from this mission."

The communicator screen flickered, going blank, and Danny was once again left feeling alone. Although Vlad had taken the news pretty well, the agent suddenly wished he had been subjected to the brunt of Vlad's rage, rather than the bitter disappointment present in his mentor's eyes. Perhaps he should have accepted Valerie's offer to come over. He would have appreciated his best friend's company.

He shook his head to clear it, as he felt himself suddenly filled with fresh resolve. Vlad was depending on him to gather sufficient intelligence to launch an inquisition into the Guys in White's activities. He would not let his benefactor down. But first, he was going to have to pay a visit to Sam.

It was going to be a very long night.

-

Sam stifled a yawn for the umpteenth time, her gaze seeming to skid over the words of her notes on proportional representation. She didn't seem able to absorb anything tonight, not that she had ever seriously believed that school work would manage to distract her enough to forget about the incident at school. Her politics homework would just have to wait for tomorrow.

The Goth threw herself onto her bed, burying herself beneath its satin sheets. She hoped Danny was doing okay. Sam had no idea how he was faring after the incident, massaging her temples as she once again resisted the urge to pick up the phone on her bedside table and call him. Valerie had said to give him space, but she wanted to make sure that he was alright before she saw him again in school the next day. Valerie might be his best friend, but Sam liked to think that she had just as much right to speak to him as Valerie did, especially since he was bound to be feeling guilty for beating up Dash.

Sam started as she heard the gentle thud of a figure landing lightly on the floor of her balcony, her breath hitching in her throat as she bolted upright. Why did Phantom have to pick _now_, of all times?

"Sam?" A familiar voice called out, and in a moment of insanity, Sam could have sworn that the insecurity present in its tone belonged to Danny, not Phantom. Except there was no way that Danny could have made his way up four stories onto her balcony.

She ran a hand through her dark hair, hoping that her appearance wasn't too disheveled as she stepped out of her room and onto the overhanging balcony. "I was wondering when I was going to see you again." Sam allowed a smile to grace her features for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Yeah," Phantom grinned. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"How's Danny?" She asked. "Have you see him since-"

"He's fine," Phantom reassured. "He just needs some time alone to get over what happened."

"I can't believe he was overshadowed," Sam's lilac fingernails dug into the pale flesh of her forearm as her brow furrowed in concern. "Have you caught the ghost that did it?"

"Red took care of all that," the ghost hunter shrugged, taking a deep breath. "I don't think you'll be seeing Danny for a while."

"Why not?" Confusion penetrated her features. "You just said he was fine."

"My benefactor was not pleased that Danny was overshadowed," Phantom continued, sickened by the lie. "He wished his heir to return to Wisconsin immediately, where he will be safe."

"Danny's gone?" Sam repeated, somehow unable to comprehend what the ghost hunter had just told her, as her entire world seem to shift before her eyes. "When did he leave?"

"A couple of hours ago," the white haired youth's lips pursed into a thin line. "He'll be in Wisconsin by now."

"Why didn't he say goodbye?" She demanded, uncaring that she was directing her anger for Danny towards Phantom. "Didn't he think I'd want to know?"

Danny suppressed the stab of guilt that overcame him as he noticed the hurt in Sam's eyes. It was for the best, he told himself. A relationship between them would amount to nothing more than both of them getting hurt. "Maybe he thought it was too hard to say goodbye."

"But you'll be here, protecting him," Sam insisted. "He'll be safer here with you and the Red Hunter around."

"My duty was to remain in Amity Park until my assignment is completed. After that, the town will be down to just Red again, when my services are required elsewhere," Phantom informed, relieved that there was at least some truth in the statement.

"But Danny wouldn't want to leave," the Goth maintained. "Vlad Masters can't just force him to return to Wisconsin."

"He feels awful about what happened today," the ghost hunter began, astonished how easily the confession left his lips when he was under the visage of an alias that Sam believed was someone else. "He told me he thinks it'll be best if he left."

"He's being stupid," Sam raged. "How could we possibly blame him for what happened? And even if he hadn't been overshadowed, Dash Baxter had it coming." She paused, and Danny wasn't sure what to make of the wetness of her eyes, or the intermittent trembling of her lips as she drew choppy breaths as a multitude of emotions evaded his mind, as he found himself abruptly overtaken by guilt. "You have to talk him out of it. _Please_."

"I'll see what I can do," he managed out, violently quelling the intense longing to take her into his arms, and simply hold her, to provide a source of comfort from the anguish that he himself was the culprit of. Nor could he banish the desire to put an end to the ceaseless deception once and for all, to tell her the truth about everything, and how he felt about her. Saying goodbye was going to be even harder than he had thought.

"Promise me you'll change his mind," she pleaded, and it could not escape Danny's attention how heartbreakingly beautiful she was in his eyes, despite the hurt evident on her features. "You're the only chance I have of ever seeing him again."

"I'm not sure-" The agent began, only to have his hesitance to promise the impossible, along with mere rational thought banished from his mind, as his crush threw herself into his arms.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed, burying her face into his chest, her slim frame. "I know crying isn't going to solve anything."

"Everything is going to be fine," Danny cleared his throat, willing himself to ignore all manner of inappropriate thoughts that crossed his mind whenever he caught the faint scent of her perfume, or the manner in which her lithe figure convulsed against his form when wracked with sobs.

The ghost hunter raised a white gloved hand, stroking her raven hair in a gesture that he hoped was solely comforting, fighting the fervent urge to press his lips to the corners of her lavender eyes and kiss away her tears. He needed to stop leading her on. His inability to control himself was what had gotten him into this mess in the first place.

Phantom hardly noticed when her crying stopped, as Sam raised herself on her tiptoes, placing a soft, but purposeful kiss on his lips. Green eyes squeezed shut as he struggled to keep the carnality of his desires under control from the simple, yet incredibly intimate contact. He drew a shuddering breath, fighting the ardent yearning to draw her closer to him, to feel her soft curves against his skin.

_God_, he wanted her. Perhaps even more than she wanted him.

But Danny knew that he had to stop himself before the situation spiraled out of his control. If Sam persisted in her advances, the agent knew that he would not be able to stop himself. He had come here tonight with a purpose. However much he wished it otherwise, his duties to his benefactor would always come first.

"You are emotionally vulnerable right now, and not thinking straight," he asserted firmly, drawing himself up to his full height. "I'm not going to take advantage of you."

"You're _not,_" she insisted, as her fingers trailed along the ridges of his torso as she rested her head against his chest. "I want this."

"Sam," the ghost hunter stiffened as he reluctantly removed himself from her grip. "Danny wasn't the only reason I came to see you tonight."

"Then what's the real reason you came to see me?" The suggestive smile playing on Sam's lips seemed out of place with her teary eyes.

"We have to end this," Danny told her simply, the hardness of his resolve evident in his gaze. "Getting involved with me is putting you into danger."

"It was only one incident," Sam frowned, taken aback. "And you've caught that ghost now, so it won't happen again."

"That incident with Skulker should never have happened," his eyes narrowed. "If my enemies were to find out about you, you'd be under threat from half the ghost zone."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Sam declared, crossing her arms in a defiant gesture.

"I can't let you take that chance," Phantom insisted. "I'm not even going to be around to protect you."

"You'll be around long enough," The Goth maintained firmly.

"No," Phantom's eyes narrowed, and Sam could detect a tinge of bitterness in his voice. "I won't."

"You're leaving too?" Sam faltered. "But I-"

"I've been assigned another mission," Danny lied fluidly, ignoring the stinging in the corners of his eyes. "I leave tonight."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" She protested.

"For the same reasons Danny didn't," his gaze softened. "I couldn't bring myself to say goodbye until I had to. I thought it would be easier this way."

"It's not," Sam glared. "There's no way in hell that you can say this is easy."

"The only way a relationship between us will end is with you getting hurt." White eyebrows narrowed to frame his grimace. "And I care too much about you to ever let that happen."

It was not until then that Danny realised that his face was mere inches away from Sam's, so close that he could see the individual tears that clung to her eyelashes, that he could feel the intoxicating warmth of her breath caressing his lips as their gazes locked. The desire blazing in her amethyst eyes was almost too much to bear, a fervor the agent knew was reflected in his own gaze.

Was this the life he had chosen? To always be forced to walk away from everything he loved for the sake of his obligations to the higher authorities? Sam was possibly the best thing that had happened to him since the accident, and Danny knew that he would be haunted by this mistake for the rest of his life. But he had no choice in the matter. His duty would always come first. With the object of his affections so easily within his reach, his loyalties to the higher authorities hardly seemed worth it.

It was not until she moved to close the distance between their lips that Danny abruptly came to his senses.

"I _can't,_" he withdrew, white eyebrows narrowing to a troubled expression of pure anguish as he removed himself from her grip. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she uttered softly. "I'm not going to cry again. You're not worth it. Neither of you are."

"Listen, Sam." Danny faltered. "You're a great girl, and you deserve so much better than either Danny or I have to offer."

The Goth shook her head. She didn't even have the energy to deny the fact that she had been infatuated by both Danny and Phantom at once. Not that it would have mattered which of them she had chosen. In the end, it seemed that the decision had been made for her. It didn't seem fair that both of them had chosen to walk into her life at the same time, and that they were now leaving before she had worked up the courage to make a move on either of them. "So I guess this is goodbye." Sam's eyes shone with the wetness of unshed tears.

"Yeah," Phantom uttered softly. "I guess I'll see you around."

"Take care of Danny," She requested, refusing to cry as she favoured him with a sad smile.

"That I can do," he returned the smile, feeling a huge weight lifted from his shoulders despite his leadened emotions. He wished that there was something, anything, he could do to make his departure easier for her before he walked out of Sam's life for the second time in three years.

'_I love her.' _

Danny's eyes widened at the cruel realisation. Never had he desired anyone so fervently, not even Valerie. He bit his tongue, refusing to allow himself to utter the words aloud. Sam didn't deserve to be put through this, especially not by him. The powers that be were probably laughing themselves sick over his plight.

Once, the ghost hunter had thought that he had loved Valerie, but whatever romantic affections he once held for his partner paled in comparison to what he felt for Sam. If he didn't leave now, he would never be able to.

"There's somewhere I need to be," he whispered, unable to meet her gaze. "Goodbye, Sam."

Sam shrugged, pretending to study the tiling of her balcony floor. She rejected the impulse to look up as Phantom subjected her to a final, lingering gaze of regret before turning away, disappearing in a blinding flash of white light as he leaped from the balcony railings.

As soon as she was certain that Phantom had completely dematerialised, Sam spun on her heels with blurred vision, finally allowing her tears to fall.

**Author's Note: **Poor, poor Sam. She's so close to figuring everything out. I hope I didn't bum you out with this chapter. Hopefully, you guys saw this coming and were somewhat prepared for it.

**Metanoia**'s been giving me a fair bit of trouble, but I thought that I'd already left you waiting for far too long, so I decided to post whatever I had written so far. Sorry for the short chapter, but I thought an update was definitely in order. I apologise for making my lovely readers wait!:( I promise that I will finish this story, not matter what.

For those of you waiting for **Anathema's Abode**, it's done. I'm just waiting for the thumbs up so that I can post it. It was a fun chapter to write, so I hope you guys enjoy it!:)

**Here's a little excerpt of Danny and Sam:**

"_Where are my clothes?" She demanded hotly. "And why was I in your bed?"_

_He cocked an eyebrow in amusement. "I haven't tried anything on you, if that's what you're worried about."_

_She folded her arms, doubt evident on her features as she subjected him to a glare of glacial standards. _

_He raised his hands in surrender. "I slept on the couch."_

"_What did you do to me?" She asked again, as her fist clenched around the hem of the over sized shirt she was wearing. She had already been humiliated once by Pariah's men. Sam refused to allow it to happen again. The mere thought that a ghost had laid hands on her in that manner made her feel sick. _

"_I didn't do anything," the stranger shrugged, unperturbed by her concern. "Your clothes were ruined, so I destroyed them."_

"_Just because my clothes were bloody was no excuse to dispose of them," her eyes narrowed. _

"_I wasn't going to let you on my bed without cleaning you up first," he countered, annoyance entering his voice. "You also had a tracking device on you. I removed it."_

_Sam bristled. "You had no right-"_

"_I had no intention of being discovered by your kin," he finished coldly. "What I do not understand is why you fail to be grateful for the fact that I rescued you from your assailants. You would have been long dead had I not chosen to intervene."_

Sorry guys, but that's all for now. I don't want to give too much away!XD

**Thanks to the lovely:** _Bloxham, EmeraldCalling, Eventual Member, shimoragurl, dannyfan101, cera meia, Writingcritter, The Big Red Fish, vladimir's disease, Hopeful Wings, yuuki, Evelyn Lucia, follow-ur-heart, katiesparks, days-of-elijah, kia, Twilight-Phantom66, FreakishlyObsessedVampyreGirl, Nysk, cordria, cariadiorarua, Capito Celcior, b4k4 ch4n, Viskii, Koccinelle, Nonasuki-chan, pearl84, mushroomcloudslooklikebroccoli, Secret Spy Guy, Fantomo Drako, CharmedNightSkye, uula_ and _Sasia93_ for their amazing and incredibly encouraging reviews. I have the best readers in the world!:D

_dannyfan101:_ Don't be silly! Of course I haven't taken offence from what you said. I would have told you sooner, except you left me no way of contacting you.

As usual, please review, it makes me happy!:D


	15. Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Danny Phantom

**Metanoia**

**Chapter 15**

Danny sat hidden on the rooftops above, hunched into a foetal position as he drew his legs closer to his chest, unable to tear his gaze away from the the interior of Sam's room as he observed her through the open window. The object of his affections had thrown herself on the bed, as though willing the sheets to swallow her. Danny had already tried pretending that he wasn't the source of her current anguish as she lay tangled in her lavender sheets, her head buried beneath a pillow.

At least her sobbing seemed to have subdued. Danny wasn't sure how much more of Sam's crying he could bear. Yet, he felt strangely obliged to remain here, and suffer the guilt of the tears that he had caused.

The ghost hunter's fingers furled into twin fists, as he found himself overwhelmed with the sudden desire to punch something. This was not the way he had wanted to end things. He should have left the moment he disappeared from her sight; that had been his initial plan. However, a strange sense of honour had insisted that he ensured that Sam was alright before he left for his reconnaissance mission. It was the wisest course of action; Danny was certain he would have been haunted with thoughts of his crush all night otherwise.

There was nothing more he could do for her. He had already caused her enough distress as it was. Danny knew that he could not be arrogant enough to exact that he had ruined her life, but he supposed that he could easily claimed to have ruined Sam's year. She'd be better off without him. The less his crush was involved with Phantom, the less chance there was of her getting hurt.

Danny had done what he had came to do, and there was no point in lingering like some lovesick little girl. Duty called. The ghost hunter rose to his feet, leaping into the night air.

Teleporting to the exterior of Fenton works, Danny allowed himself a deep breath, preparing himself. He had to stop thinking about Sam, she wasn't important; not when compared to _this_. This assignment was what his entire mission came down to, and he was determined to make his mentor proud.

The agent released a hesitant spark of ecto energy at the building below, wary of the presence of a ghost shield. His luck seemed to be changing for the better. To his mild surprise, the Guys in White had yet to reinstall the ghost shield from his previously self administered reconnaissance mission. Or were the fools so arrogant that they had decided to forgo the use of a ghost shield on their headquarters? Knowing the incompetence of the Guys in White, anything was conceivable. Danny snorted, as he regarded their security cameras with derision.

It was best to get this over and done with as soon as possible. The ghost hunter no longer saw any reason to linger in the town. Danny found himself overcome by an urge to leave the sheltered bubble of Amity Park, to escape the pathetic microcosm that had become his home for the past few months. He was quickly growing soft, and he knew it. If Phantom didn't return to Dalv Enterprises now, Danny wasn't sure if he would ever be able to bring himself to.

The agent shook his head to clear it, frustrated with himself. This was hardly the appropriate moment for idle musings. All he had to do was complete this assignment, and he would finally be allowed to return home.

Maintaining his invisibility and intangibility, Danny phased through the once familiar architecture, allowing himself to sink through the floor. Vlad's protégé tapped the surveillance device located on his collarbone for reassurance. So far, so good. He had yet to run into any unpleasant situations.

Abruptly, he staggered, as the halfa found himself gripped by blind panic as he raised a white gloved hand to his forehead. Why was he suddenly so weak? Danny hissed in alarm, his stealth abilities failing as he felt himself flicker into visibility. They could see him, the ghost hunter realised, as body ignored all cries of protests to become invisible against his better judgement.

His vision grew blurry as large, bulky figures clad in white suits surrounded him, closing in for the kill, as Danny struggled to fight down intermittent waves of mounting despair. Amidst an impossibly mind numbing brightness, the Guys in White seemed to grow, spinning, into four walls of solid white out of which Danny could not escape, no matter in which direction he stumbled, in pathetic attempts to fly.

Danny froze, a chill freezing the very blood in his veins as he felt his consciousness slowly ebbing away, despite his efforts to stay awake. Somehow, the Guys in White had known that he was coming. And worse, they had been ready; waiting for him as he blithely played right into their hands.

-

Sam scowled, as she violently scrubbed a forearm against her eyes in an attempt to quell the flow of tears. Hadn't she told herself that Phantom and Danny were not worth it? If they had chosen to leave, then let them leave. It was their loss, Sam told herself fiercely. She was better off without either of them. Phantom had knowingly led her on, only to let her down when he abruptly realised the consequences of pursuing her. As an inhabitant of Amity Park, She would be the victim of ghost attacks, whether she was in a relationship with Phantom or not. The Goth subjected her tear stained pillow to a violent jab. No matter how she attempted to warp her logic, Sam could not figure out how Phantom had thought that refusing to be involved with her was going to keep her out of danger. It was the most sorry excuse Sam had ever heard. She should have trusted her initial instincts; Phantom was a _jerk_.

And Danny Fenton hadn't even had the guts to make a move. At least Phantom had made his intentions known, even if they had been for all the wrong reasons. Danny must've been aware that she liked him, no one was_ that_ clueless. And there was no way that Valerie wouldn't have passed the message on, the pair seemed to tell each other everything. Phantom had admitted that the main reason that Danny had agreed to leave Amity Park was due to fear of how she and Tucker would perceive him after the accident. Sam couldn't help but wonder; if she had told Danny, would he have left this evening?

Although she and Valerie had never been particularly close, Sam could not quell the sudden urge to visit her, and have a heart to heart discussion with Danny's best friend. Sam was desperate to find out what Danny had chosen to share with her. At the very least, Valerie would be able to provide her with a means of contacting Danny at Wisconsin.

If Valerie could be pressed to provide answers, even better. Danny and Phantom's goodbyes had been unsatisfactory to say the least. At least Phantom had had the guts to tell her she was leaving. Sam flushed scarlet, mortified as she recalled the outcome of her previous attempt to raid Danny's hotel room for clues regarding his secrets. The tiny apartment that Valerie Gray shared with her father would be a lot easier to search, especially when compared with Danny's massive suite.

Sam paused, reluctant to impose her presence on Danny's best friend. She knew Valerie was forced to work two jobs to help keep her family afloat, and the last thing she probably wanted was Sam barging in right now, demanding answers after a long day at work. But Danny owed her an explanation, as did Phantom. And right now, Sam didn't care if Valerie would have to suffer her company because of it. It was nearly impossible to get answers out of either her or Danny normally, but perhaps fatigue would have loosened Valerie Gray's tongue.

Determination renewed, Sam reached for the phone on her bedside table and dialed for the Gray household.

"Hey Sam," Valerie greeted, surprise evident as she picked up the receiver. "How you holding up?"

"I'm fine," The Goth replied, willing herself not to sniff as she endeavored not to reveal the remaining traces of her blocked nose. She didn't feel comfortable allowing Valerie to know that she had been crying. "Is he okay?" There was no need to elaborate on who '_he'_ was.

"Circumstances considered, he's not doing too badly," the ghost hunter shrugged. "But he's got a lot on his mind right now. I think you should wait for him to call you."

"Can I come over?" Sam shifted in her seat. "I think we need to discuss Danny." Would Danny's best friend suspect her motives?

"I'm not sure now is the best time," Valerie yelped, stubbing her toe on her jet sled. "I've had a really busy day at work. Plus, we've got that essay from Lancer-"

"I know," Sam interrupted, fervently hoping that Valerie wouldn't see through her bluff. "About you, about Phantom, about _everything_."

"But how-?" Valerie started, her query followed by an audible groan. "Danny cracked and told you everything, didn't he? That _idiot_."

"Yeah," Sam chuckled, although it sounded far more like nervous laughter to her ears.

"Could he _be_ any more unprofessional?" Valerie sighed. "No offense Sam, but civilians weren't meant to know why Danny was really at Amity."

"But you know, don't you?" Sam pressed.

"Not specifically," Valerie admitted. "His assignment has nothing to do with me."

Sam's mind reeled. So her hunch had been correct. Danny really was a professional ghost hunter. But why would Vlad Masters assign his heir a mission, only to withdraw him halfway through? It didn't seem to make any sense. From the way Danny had handled the ghost assault on their school, he was definitely an experienced fighter. If Danny was being withdrawn from his mission, Sam shuddered to imagine the severity of the task.

But where did all this leave Valerie Gray?

"Vlad Masters sent him, didn't he?" the Goth queried.

"Before I answer any more of your questions, how do I know that I can trust you? You could be bluffing," Danny's best friend challenged. "You and Tucker have always been too inquisitive for your own good."

"I'm not doing this for my sake," Sam scowled. "I'm doing this for Danny's. Tucker and I deserve some ans-"

"How much do you actually know?" Valerie interrupted coldly. "This isn't a game, Sam."

"Danny and Phantom are the same person," Sam took a stab in the dark, wincing as the words left her mouth. The statement had been purely instinctual, she didn't know why she had said that. Yet, Sam's intuition was rewarded when she heard a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the phone line as both parties said nothing, stunned into silence by the revelation.

Sam's world suddenly started to make sense, as her mind reeled with the implications of her newly acquired knowledge. All this time, she and Tucker had been struggling to put together the ill fitting pieces of two different puzzles, when both objects of their inquiry were the _same person_. This was the reason Danny was never around during a ghost attack, always returning with all manner of strange injuries. Now that she thought about it, everything seemed so obvious. Perhaps deep down, she had always known.

Sam shuddered, as she remembered the unbridled rage with which Danny had attacked Dash earlier that day. If Danny and Phantom truly were the same person, then Danny had not been overshadowed. The chilling, murderous intent present in the ethereal green of Danny's eyes as he had assaulted Dash had not been that of a maleficent ghost's. It had been _Danny's_.

This certainly explained why the Phantom always seemed to remind her of Danny, especially how she had managed to mistake, or with hindsight, correctly identify, Phantom's voice for Danny's earlier that evening. Danny lacked the ghost hunter's cocky demeanor, but Sam had always noticed the subtle similarities in the pair's behavior.

The Goth remembered previously thinking that the pair could have been twins, but the fact that Phantom's eyes and hair were a different colour from Danny's had always stopped her from making the appropriate connection between them. Sam shook her head, unable to believe her own stupidity. If the organisation that Danny worked for was capable of making him levitate, or shoot spectral energy from his fingertips, creating a hologram to disguise his eyes and hair would be a farce.

She frowned, considering both Danny and Phantom, they couldn't possibly be the same person; the pair were polar opposites. Was Phantom's arrogance a side effect of his battle suit, or was Danny willingly allowing his alias to display a different side to his personality? Which lead Sam to the fundamental question. Who _was_ Danny Fenton? At the moment, it seemed to Sam that he was in the middle of an identity crisis.

Sam understood that her crush had not been permitted to reveal the identity his alter ego to her. From the sounds of it, the organisation holding Danny and the Red Hunter in their employ did not tolerate failure. Danny confiding in her would not have gone down well with them. But why Danny refused to approach her as himself, she would never know. Sam faltered; Danny liked her, didn't he?

Phantom's intentions regarding her had always been clear. Danny's, however, had never been. At least with Phantom she had always known that he was interested. Danny never failed to leave her hopelessly confused. She had been forced to deal with his sporadic bouts of cluelessness every time they were in close contact, or when Tucker made a particularly lewd comment. Sam groaned, burying her face in her pillow in embarrassment, as she recalled the incident when she had him pinned to the floor of his hotel room. Their mutual attraction had been more than obvious, but Danny had never made a move.

Sam glowered, already thinking of choice words to force down Danny's throat on their next meeting. The pair were the cause of her heart doing back flips for the past few months, only for her to realise that they were one and the same, that the cause of all Sam's previous anguish at her inability to choose between the two had been nothing but a waste of time.

She had previously decided that Phantom simply was not healthy for her sanity, a sentiment that she now extended to include Danny. If she ever saw that boy again, god help her, she would kill him.

Sam's thoughts snapped back to Valerie, and the constant banter that Danny seemed to share with her. Perhaps her jealousy had truly been unfounded. All this time, Danny's secrecy with Valerie was for the preservation of the identity of his alter ego. But why had Danny told his best friend, but not her?

Then, it came to her. Danny or Phantom both always seemed to be coupled with a female, who always seemed to be the object of her affection's closest confidant. Danny had Valerie Gray, and Phantom had the Red Hunter. Or as he so affectionately termed her, Red. Given that Valerie was fully aware of his secret...

There could only be one explanation for all of this. If Danny and Phantom had been revealed to be the same person, it could only mean-

"And _you're _the Red Hunter," Sam breathed, taking her realisation a step further.

The revelation was followed by a second period of augmented silence. Sam chewed her lower lip, doubt beginning to cloud her mind. She shouldn't have been so specific; Valerie probably thought she was an idiot with an over active imagination. Yet, it all seemed to fit. It definitely explained why Valerie never seemed to be around during a ghost attack. The fact that she was a ninth degree black belt seemed to agree with Sam's hunch. It was no wonder that Danny chose to confide in Valerie; his best friend was probably the only one who truly understood him, and the difficulties of leading a double life under the employ of the government.

"This phone line isn't secure," Valerie finally managed out. "Maybe it's best you come over after all."

Sam raised an eyebrow. This certainly explained why Danny, Phantom, Valerie _and_ the Red Hunter all seemed to be familiar with each other. They weren't four different people; just two. Sam shook her head, mentally exhausted. At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if she found out that Danny and Valerie were both the same person. If Valerie was concerned about their conversation being bugged, just how deep in were the ghost hunters?

"I'll be right there," Sam affirmed, hanging up.

-

_'The light,'_ Danny growled as he returned to consciousness, exhaling sharply as he averted his vision from the blinding source of his discomfort. _'Make it stop.' _The agent's eyelids seemed to be made of tissue, incapable of blocking out any of the room's excessive brightness no matter how tightly he clenched them shut. The ghost hunter had to admit that if his captors' intent had been to disorientate him, they had definitely succeeded; he couldn't see anything beyond the light. His ghost sense might still be functioning, but it was useless when his adversaries were human.

The agent cursed, as he noticed that he had been stripped of his equipment, his stealth suit instead being replaced by simple, baggy white cotton. The morons probably hadn't been able to figure out where his surveillance devices were located on his suit. Chances were, Vlad most likely wasn't aware of his plight. Nor did Danny have any methods of corresponding with his mentor, having been rid of his communicator. Even if he did manage to escape, he had already failed his mission.

Yet, he had other abilities at his disposal. They had clearly underestimated him if they did not expect him to simply wrench his way out of his bindings. There was no way mere metal could hold him down, no matter how it had been alloyed. Phantom smirked, as he waited for the familiar energy to begin forming at his fingertips.

'_What the-_'

Danny would have doubled over in pain if not for his bindings, his bellow of anguish sounded foreign even to his own ears as the very spectral energy in his being seemed to backfire on him, destroying himself from the inside out. God, it _hurt_. Never before had he been on the receiving end of one of his own attacks, nor had he ever intended to be.

It was not until that single, heart stopping moment that beyond the cloud of his own confusion as his still hazy thoughts caught up with the severity of his situation, Danny realised that none of his powers seemed to be functioning. He could feel them, rippling below the surface of his skin, waiting to be called upon, but they seemed to be blocked; no matter how hard he tried to access his abilities, he couldn't seem to reach them. Any attempt only seemed to result in more pain.

The halfa snarled, trashing violently as he attempted to muscle his way out of his shackles by sheer brute force, his stomach growing heavy with dread. What had the Guys in White done to him?

"Agent Phantom," a voice drawled, its speaker stepping out of the shadows. "We were expecting you."

The ghost hunter's head snapped upwards at the sound of the unexpected company, his vision swimming.

"What do you want with me?" Danny managed out through clenched teeth, his sight slowly adapting to the brightness as he struggled to focus on the countenance of his captor. His bonds were nothing more than mere metal. With sufficient exertion, he would be free.

"Don't flatter yourself, boy," the Guy in White stated dryly. "What we really want is Vlad Masters."

Danny started, hearing a pair of heavy footsteps approach, followed closely by the sound of wheels skidding on the cold, metal floor.

"Is this the boy, Agent O?" one of the newcomers questioned, remaining in the shadows. His tone was arrogant, imperious. But unlike Vlad's, the stranger's voice held no charisma. The sound made Danny's hackles rise. Was this the ringleader who masterminded his capture? There was no way the Guys in White could have come up with the plans themselves. The man in the wheelchair remained silent, but Danny shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, all too aware that he was being studied as though he was nothing more than a piece of meat.

"I assure you sir, Phantom is well contained. He has no conceivable means of escape," the Guy in White saluted, his back stiffening.

"Show yourself, coward," Danny growled, his eyes burnished green. "What are you afraid of?"

"Afraid, boy?" Caleb Jones repeated smugly, stepping into the light. "All your freakish powers have been rendered useless."

"You _traitor,_" Danny snarled, his voice laced with venom as he lunged forward, in an attempt to attack the spymaster. He felt the groan of the multitude of shackles binding him as they distorted, but refused to break, ignoring the searing pain from his left shoulder blade. Could he even dislocate bones whilst in ghost form? Danny's stomach acid seemed to be curdling, and he was almost certain that he was going to be sick. '_No_,' he gasped. '_I'm not giving him the satisfaction of seeing me weak._'

This mission, everything he had been forced to go through in the past few months had been nothing more than a set up. He had been sent to Amity Park for no reason other than to die. _Vlad. _Danny shook his head, clearing it as he attempted to claw his way out of this mounting pit of despair. He had to warn Vlad. The ghost hunter would never forgive himself if he was the death of his mentor.

"We injected you with with heavy shots of ectoranium during your last little recon mission," Caleb Jones taunted. "Did you and Vlad Masters really presume that you had gotten away scott free?"

"You're lying," Danny ground out. "There's no way it would've worked. Ectoranium would've affected me the moment it was injected into my bloodstream."

"Here's a hint," the Guy in White smirked, lowering his shades. "What do you think these are for?"

The ghost hunter froze, the simple answer occurring to him._ UV radiation_. It would be difficult, but not impossible with a suitable catalyst, to persuade ectoranium to react with other elements, presumably fluorine or another of the halogens, stabilised with titanium. His abilities would not be affected until the UV light catalysed the breakdown of the ectoranium compound in his blood, leaving him practically helpless at the moment of his captors' choice. The Guys in White must have stationed sources all over their headquarters.

Phantom remained silent, despite the fact that the revelation had dawned on him. As his mentor had always told him, information was power.

"Must we spell it out for you?" Caleb Jones mocked. "Vlad Masters always claimed you were intelligent."

Danny ignored him, his mind spinning as it worked on overdrive. Naturally, such a compound would have to form a significantly large lattice in order to be stable, rendering it impossible to be filtered out of his bloodstream until triggered with intense radiation of the appropriate wavelength; the metal's ectoplasmic properties would allow it to remain within him even when he went ghost. Danny cursed himself under his breath. Despite Vlad's warnings of caution, he had still ended up walking into an elaborate trap.

It was best not to let on that he had figured it out. At the moment, Danny's best chance of escape was the hope that they would underestimate him, the same manner in which he had underestimated them. Why hadn't he heeded his mentor's advice? The ghost hunter fiercely berated himself. From this moment, he would do things Vlad's way. Cold, calculating, collected.

"What have you done to me?" Phantom snarled, face twisted into a mask of fury. He refused to die. Not here. Not by the hand of this traitorous bastard.

"We've already told you. Figure it out," Caleb Jones sneered. "On second thought, don't bother. Because you'll be dead within the hour."

"What makes you so sure?" Danny roared, or at least attempted to, as the ghostly wail died at the back of his throat. The ghost hunter glared, as the pathetic mewl escaped his lips. He refused to be reduced to this. All manner of calm could be damned. Let him rage at the spymaster first.

"Stop your struggling," Caleb Jones commented dryly, as though Danny's predicament amused him. "Your bonds are made from an alloy of steel and ectoranium. There is no conceivable way that you could break free, even if you didn't have ectoranium flowing through your veins."

"You're quite a fan of ectoranium, aren't you?" Danny spat. "Did your creativity die and go to hell?"

"Naturally," the traitor replied. "It provides us with a means of restraining monsters like you. Government funding does miraculous things."

"I'm _human,_" the halfa insisted, subjecting Caleb Jones to a glare of glacial standards. "Which is a lot more than I can say for _you_."

"Is this the caliber of agents from Dalv Enterprises?" the Guy in White scorned. "I expected more."

"Stop underestimating me, you _fucking _hypocrites!" Danny yelled. "You claim to protect the town and its citizens, when it's _your_ ghost portal that's the source of all Amity's spectral activity in the first place. Your ignorance will be the destruction of Amity Park."

"Have you any idea what he's talking about?" Caleb Jones questioned the Guy in White, his interest piqued.

"The boy is raving," Agent O replied, disgust evident on his features. "Why would we allow monsters to rampage the town?"

"I do not believe the accusation is groundless, Mister Jones," the middle aged man in the wheelchair spoke for the first time, his voice quiet. "After all, this building used to be his home."

Danny blinked, favouring Caleb Jone's subordinate with his full attention. "You believe me?"

"Perhaps," the CIA's deputy conceded, advancing towards Danny. "Where is this portal supposedly located?"

"In the disused basement," Danny informed, his mood rapidly lifting. He could extradite the Guys in White yet. "A wall has been built in front of it since these _morons_," he paused, favouring Agent O with a dirty look. "Obviously had no idea how to use it."

"Do not succumb to his lies, Mister Freeman," the spymaster admonished. "The boy will do anything to weasel out of his fate."

"Phantom is half ghost," the Guy in White added fiercely. "He can never be trusted."

"And you're nothing more than an ignorant prick," the ghost hunter snarled, before turning his attention back to the man in the wheelchair. "You have to believe me."

"We no longer have any reason to be here," Caleb Jones cut in coldly, turning to leave. "The brat isn't worth our time."

Danny bit his lower lip as he considered his situation, desperation driving him on. It was imperative that Vlad Masters was warned, his life was of a higher value than Phantom's own. What if he could negotiate the terms of his release? No, the halfa's eyes narrowed. He had nothing to offer the Guys in White, even if he were to willingly allow them to experiment on him. Seeing as he was being held captive, the organisation was already capable of doing whatever they pleased with him, research included.

In order to make negotiating his release a serious option, Danny knew he would have to threaten the captors with something of value to them. The underlying problem was, he had nothing, not even information. Vlad, ignorant of their betrayal, freely shared whatever knowledge he accumulated with the rest of the CIA. Kept within the bounds of his confinement, Danny knew his options were severely limited.

A sudden, morbid thought occurred to Danny, as he recalled his recent discussion with his mentor. But what if he could threaten the safety of one of their number?

Of the trio, Freeman was easily the most vulnerable. He was also the closest to Danny, having wheeled himself forward to strike up conversation with the ghost hunter over the existence of the Fenton ghost portal. Danny could be upon him before the others had any time to react.

Danny grimaced, balking at the thought of hurting another human being. But as Vlad had said, there was a fundamental deviation between attacking in anger and the cold indifference of calculated murder, a difference he had yet to learn. But the ghost hunter knew that if he didn't start learning fast, he wasn't going to survive this encounter.

Desperate circumstances called for desperate measures. After all, the spymaster's deputy was of no further use to Danny. Caleb Jones clearly wasn't about to allow Freeman to launch an inquiry into the matter. He _had_ to escape. There was no one else to warn Vlad.

The thought of his benefactor filled Danny with icy resolve. Was he capable of murder? There was no time like the present to find out.

Gathering the remaining vestiges of his strength, the ghost hunter lunged forward, snatching Caleb Jone's subordinate out of his wheelchair as though he was nothing more than a rag doll that Danny had chosen to grip by the throat.

"Release me, or I'll kill him," Phantom threatened, his forearm locked under the handicapped man's jaw. "I don't need my powers to be able to do _this_."

"Harm my deputy, and I will give the word for Valerie Gray to be subdued," Caleb Jones stated calmly, unaffected.

"I'm relatively unknown. No one will notice if I go missing," Danny snarled. "But the Red Hunter is a different matter. Dispose of her, and the public will know that you had a hand in it."

"We could easily forge footage concerning her retirement."

"Vlad will protect her," Phantom insisted fiercely. "You'll never get past him. Now release me."

"If your faith in Vlad Masters is absolute, then do it," Caleb Jones smirked, as though issuing a challenge for Phantom to end his deputy's life. "Let us see how well Vlad Masters has trained you."

Danny growled, tightening his grip around the CIA's deputy head's neck. It would be so easy just to put an end to his existence. He was so vulnerable, so weak. No matter how fast he tried to crawl away, Phantom would always manage to outrun him, with or without his powers of flight. The rogue agent pursed his lips, dark rage still evident in his gaze. Never before had Danny had such control over another individual's life.

He faltered, glancing momentarily at the face of his victim. All the man had tried to do was help; he did not deserve death. If this is what it all came down to, Danny knew he would rather he was killed than be forced to take another's life. Except his failure to warn Vlad would ultimately lead to his mentor's destruction.

Ethan Freeman did not appear to be displaying any fear, despite the circumstances. In fact, all he could do was consider the irony of the situation; that he was about to be murdered by the protégé of the man who had saved his life in the field, decades ago.

_'I can't kill him,'_ Danny started as he was hit with the bitter realisation that sent him reeling. _'I can't kill _anyone_. Vlad was right.'_

The rogue agent gently released his victim, supporting his efforts to stand. Danny favoured him with an apologetic look, regret evident through his own grievances.

"I thought so," Caleb Jones scorned in disgust, turning on his heels. "You're weak. Just like your benefactor."

The spymaster's exit was followed by the Guy in White, his briskness reminiscent to Danny of a dog heeling its master. Which left Danny painfully alone with the man he had just attempted to murder.

"I'm sorry," Danny offered, as the man helped himself back into his wheelchair.

"Do not apologise," He replied stiffly. "You are not the only one who holds some loyalty towards Vlad Masters."

"Then why are you doing this?" the rogue agent whispered. "He's going to kill Vlad."

"For the same reason that you obey Vlad Master's orders to the letter," Ethan Freeman replied. "Except that I have no choice in the matter. When I made my decision to serve god and country all those years ago, I never thought it would come to this. If you manage to escape from this place, I hope that you do not make the same mistakes I did."

"Help me escape," Danny implored. "I'm the only one who can stop this from happening."

"I am afraid you are asking the impossible. Neither can I warn Vlad Masters, should you request it," Caleb Jone's deputy sighed. "I am bound by duty."

"As am I," Danny's green eyes flared. "You are either with me or against me."

"I cannot answer that question," Ethan Freeman wheeled himself a hundred and eighty degrees, turning to leave. "But I will suggest you ponder this: the decomposition of the drug can be quickened. You just need to figure out how."

With those few words of advice, Ethan freeman departed from the ghost hunter's confinement, leaving Danny wondering how he had ever regarded the deputy spymaster with pity.

How had he managed to get himself into this mess? Earlier that day, he had been resolute concerning his commitment to the higher authorities, even breaking Sam's heart in an attempt to do what he thought was their bidding. Doing so had only resulted in their betrayal. But now, none of this mattered. From this moment on, he would fight for no purpose other than those he stood for.

He would escape. He had to. There was no other alternative as to how he would warn Vlad and protect Valerie. The only question was _how_.

-

"How was the mission, Daniel?" Vlad queried, neglecting to raise his eyes to the communicator screen as he sorted his affairs, choosing instead to direct his attention towards his well deserved cup of tea, which steamed invitingly. His apprentice had certainly taken his time.

"I don't believe Daniel Fenton is in a position to answer you right now," an unexpected voice replied dryly, sadism evident.

Vlad could not subdue the icy feeling of unsurmountable dread, as he raised his head for the first time to regard the traitor. The veteran spy had never liked the spymaster, but he would have thought him above the filthy act of betrayal. This was far beyond the violent disagreements of inter-departmental politics.

"What have you done to my apprentice?" the veteran spy demanded, his eyes flaring a deathly crimson that would have gravely intimidated most men. It was unfortunate that his protégé's captor was not of their number.

If the coward had a problem with him, the conflict should have been settled between them, rather than dragging Daniel into the matter. If his apprentice failed to emerge from this encounter unscathed, Vlad knew he would never forgive himself.

The screen flickered; Caleb Jone's smug countenance was abruptly replaced by muted footage of Daniel, green eyes blazing in fury as he thrashed against his bindings.

"_Danny!_" Vlad roared as he transformed, fear for his protégé evident.

"As you can clearly see, Masters, we have your apprentice," the spymaster's smile was cold, and Vlad could not suppress a stab of revulsion as his thin lips twitched upwards. "One false move on your part, and Phantom will be dead. If you hope to ever see him again, you will do exactly as I say."

**Author's Notes:** Dun dun dun! Please don't kill me! -hides- I'm sorry this update took as long as it did, but hopefully you enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm not surprised that interest in this story seems to be fizzling. I take so long to update, people have probably completely forgotten about **Metanoia**. But I'm going to strive to finish this by its one year anniversary.

**Many thanks to:** _Koccinelle, dannyfan101, crazyEgyptianSphnx, vladimir's disease, Raidon Phantom, cariadiorarua, uula, EmeraldCalling, Twilight-Phantom66, Alchemistress, Ally666, snekochan, windtear, Secret Spy Guy, CharmedNightSkye, b4k4 ch4n, Sasia93 _and _The Big Red Fish _for their awesome reviews. I wouldn't have updated if they hadn't managed to convince me that people are still actually interested in this fic:D

_dannyfan101_: No, I don't have deviant art, unfortunately:( What are these errors you've spotted?

**Anathema's Abode** readers, I have a pleasant surprise for you. I'm actually writing chapter 5! Which is a first, for me, since no one's yet had to nag me with PMs.

As always, please review. I'd love to hear the good, the bad and the ugly from my wonderful readers!

**Hugs and kisses**

**Twisted Creampuff**


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